Two-channel ISS! Classic kit MIOME ENTERTAINMENT

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USICAL FIDELITY VALUE VINYL RESOLUTION VALVE CD PLAYER!! ATC'S STUDIO SOUND A5 pre-/power looks a best buy. p34 Origin Live's top deck: p28 Moe Tjoeb on test: p32 Pro speakers at home. p44

F"News URE AUDIO EXCELLENCE

Two-channel

ISS! Denon focuses on stereo SACD page 18

EXCLUSIVE

ARCAM SÓLO player/receiver lab test: p24

DOUBLE TAKE? Rogers LS3a speaker: p30

iPOD BATTLE ¡River and M- Bird take on Apple's latest: p40

A. AOL. Keyword:Hi-Fi News US $ 9.00 Canada $ 9.75 Aus $ 10.25

June 2005 £3.80

Classic kit celebrating the

Garrard 301/401: page 58

MIOME ENTERTAINMENT

starts page 64

FUJITSU 50in plasma ROTEL AV processor

SIM 2 three-chip projector HDIVII AND FIREWIRE: what you should know!

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TEAC Esoteric X-r

The glass ceiling of music at home is the

ver disc.

It may be the last uncompressed format, but I6- bit is still too low in resolution. Or is it?

Prepare to revise your thoughts on this.

CD stampers are mastered by professional AD Converters on industrial lathes, but you play it back on a much lighter mechanism. In theory a basic transport (or spinner) is more than adequate to recover all this digital information; to read the pits, there is no need for more precision.That is the theory.

However, experimentation will show that placing a CD transport on different resonance or vibration control platforms will radically improve or degrade the sound. Remember that a CD transport has no analogue components which could colour the sound mechanically.A digital transport behaves like an analogue turntable because it too is mechanically picking up, or missing, data.

Many designers have used this principle to tweak or damp Sony or Philips spinners which have yielded significant improvements.

Now, imagine a heavy mechanism designed from the ground up so that nobody but TEAC could contemplate tooling up to make it.What would real precision in a digital source sound like? Until very recently, no one knew for sure.

VRIDS-NEO

Imagine no more.The world's ultimate CD/ SACD/ DVD player is here. It took four

CD/SACD Player

years on top of an ongoing research programme.

There is no way that you can imagine the potential of CD or SuperAudioCD unless you hear an

Before you listen, the product oozes pride of possession. For the purist, the Esoteric

(CD + SACD stereo and surround) is the ultimate; and serious value at f8,995 including VAT and UK import and distribution and support.Additionally £ 1,000 includes DVD-audio and video facilities for th achievement in home cinema, surro stereo sound.The engineering will. you: from its high mass to its jewel pr yet it is less expensive than a similarly c atch, it is a bargain.

Talking of watches, Esot , lc a breakthrough product with hing performance: their G-Os (R ,rn Clock

. second only to atomic clock. For information about these and other products which represent a total revision and revelation of the performance of the silver disc, please feel free to contact us. Listen and you will hear the fruits of human ingenuity and enterprise.

Hopefully, we can justify the honour feel that TEAC have conferred appointing us an Esoteric dealer. for the privileged few. It will inspire enhance your life; through the power subtlety of music.

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D player in the litihie1/4 best SACD orld"

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art audio art loudspeakers atC

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furman grand prix audio gryphon jps labs kemp electroniks

lYra mark levinson manley labs

michell simon yorke oracle sme origin live stands unique parasound sumiko pass labs stax pathos thiel primare townshend pro ac unison research revel vac shanling zingali roaest4

Content H' FiNews Vol 50 No 6 June 2005

Cover story: Serious stereo as Denon focuses on two-channel SACD

Hardware

Denon DCD-SA1/PMA-SA1 SACO player/amplifier More choice for fans of high-end stereo replay

and a rallying cry for high-resolution audio. Alvin

Gold salutes this two-channel-only combination

" Arcam Solo CD player/receiver Affordable, flexible, with multi-room capability

too, Arcam 's DAB-equipped single-box will create a stir, says Ken Kessler. Lab report by Paul Miller

2E Origin Live Resolution/ Encounter turntable/tonearm Big on soundstaging yet subtle when required,

David Allcock finds this £3000 combination a

worthy alternative for those seeking vinyl nirvana

30 Rogers LS3a loudspeaker Has the magic of the classic BBC LS3/5a been

recaptured in this new German-made model?

A reluctant Ken Kessler admits he's impressed

/ Njoe Tjoeb 4000 Super/Reference CD player If you find digital sources a tad tough on the ear

at the top end then Tony Bolton has a CD player

just for you. What's more, it's user upgradeable.

34 Musical Fidelity A5" pre-amp/power amplifier David Allcock reckons this pairing is MF's best

amp offering to date. And it's great value, too

38 Mission e82 loudspeaker Ivor Humphreys finds that this surround sound

tower certainly packs a punch with pure music

40 Personal player shoot-out Andrew Harrison pits the Apple iPod photo and

iPod shuffle against iRiver H340, M-Bird XT21

44 ATC SCM20-2/SIA2-150 loudspeaker/amplifier If you're seeking Pro-studio sound in the parlour

Johnathan Gorse has a duo that delivers

4E Dynavector SuperStereo ADP-3 surround sound processor Three-dimensional sound from a two-channel

source is the aim here. David Berriman listens

51 Ae Ve Vaos loudspeaker Striking looks, smooth sounds, and a boon for

classical buffs, this standniounter is one to hear

r Nordost Valhalla Reference Power mains cable Ever wanted to wire your system with mains lead

costing £875 per metre? Andrew Harrison did...

54 Conrad Johnson Premier 18LS pre-amp Single-ended triode sound with solid-state

dependibility. Martin Colloms applauds

58 Classic kit: Garrard 301/401 decks Whether you want one or own one,

don't buy or upgrade a Garrard

until you've read this...

40 M-Bird, iRiver players take on latest iPods

24 All in one: Arcam Solo CD player/receiver

30 Double take: this is the Rogers LS3a, not LS3/5a!

28 Vinyl spinner: Origin Live Resolution deck

34 Value: Musical Fidelity A5`" pre/power plifier

Hi-FiNews JUNE 2005 3

HOME ENTER AINMENT SPECIAL AVTech

64 AV News AVTech's monthly newsround, with David Perry

66 SIM2 HT500E projector Three DLP chips boost this one into a new league

70 Rotel RSP-1068 processor Affordable processor for the cinema audiophile

73 HDMVFirewire update Multichannel digital audio — FireWire or HDMI style

74 Fujitsu P5OXHA40 plasma This HDMI-equipped 50-incher is truly HD-Ready

79 View From The Inside Jon Thompson on digital cinema and an end to DD

44 Studio style: ATC SCM20-2 speaker

54 Conrad Johnson Premier 18LS

64 AVTech tests a 50in Panasonic display [above ]; DLP projector [below left]; Rotel processor [below Centre]; plus HDMI cabling [below right]

Regulars

58 Classic kit: Garrard

Maw

I. • ... .

80 Classical Vânskâ starts a Beethoven cycle, Langridge in Death in

Venice, Van Beinum reissues, midpriced SACDs

85 Rock Home Again with Jimmy Somerville, Devlins make Waves,

big riffs from Kathleen Edwards, British Sea Power

87 Audiophile: vinyl Classic Who and a Capitol Nat King Cole make it to heavy

vinyl, along with Patricia Barber and Georgie Fame

89 Audiophile: DualDisc — the reality A first listen to Blondie, Gary Moore, Gene Simmons

`")" • WIND

Kathleen Edwards: haunting yet edgy

Get cosies of HFN reviews at www.testre.orts.co.uk

8 Sources Lowdown on all the latest hi-fi happenings

17 Barry Fox UK launch of DualDisc from Dolby's HQ

63 John Crabbe Domestic furniture and its effects on sound

95 Views Letters page - your chance for feedback

98 Subscription order form Save money when you get HFN delivered

99 WIN Lumley speakers The £ 000 Larnpros 100/S2 could be yours

100 Hot 100 HFN's regular guide to the wise buys in hi-fi

112 Accessories Club Audio add-ons from HFNs mail-order service

132 The Market Classified private hi-fi sales and wants ads

137 Next month Whet your audio appetite: coming in July

138 Ken Kessler ...finds a tweak that leaves him staggered

Features

90 DSPerate times Keith Howard on what digital signal prçieling

can do for loudspeaker si- nd what it 'qinje

4 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNews

B&W Bowers&Wilkins

The new B&W 800 Series Diamond Tweeter Technology

1

no • Olatnond At Work,

The mark of a truly great tweeter - one that can

release all the vivid detail in your music - is what's

called perfect piston behaviour'. As long as the

tweeter dome is vibrating rigidly, like a piston, its

delivery will be accurate. The higher the frequency,

though, the harder that becomes. The materials most

resistant to break-up' combine lightness and stiffness.

And there's one that does that better than anything

else on earth.

The new B&W 800 Series feature tweeter domes

of pure, ultra-hard diamond. It may seem extravagant,

but nothing gets closer to the behaviour of a hypothetical

'perfect tweeter' - one with infinite stiffness. Our diamond

dome carries on vibrating like a piston well beyond

the range of human hearing, and delivers audible

sound with unheard-of clarity.

www.bw800.com Visit our website and order your free DVD Call +44 (0)1903 221 500

•

Hi-FiNews Welcome Vol 50 No 6 June 2005

Editorial staff Editor • Steve Harris Deputy Editor • Andrew Harrison Art Editor • Rene Andrew Production Editor • Patrick Fraser Editorial Assistant • Liz Briggs

Editorial contacts tel • 020 8726 8311 fax • 020 8726 8397 e-mail • [email protected] Hi - Fi News, IPC Media, Leon House, 233 High Street, Croydon, Surrey CR9 1HZ

Technical Advisers Martin Colloms Malcolm Hawksford

Consultant Technical Editor Keith Howard

Senior Contributing Editor Ken Kessler

Advertising Group Sales Manager • Nick Lee Classified Sales Exec • Gemma Bown The Market ( Reader ads)• Carole Molloy Production Manager • Clare Lordan

Publisher

Group Art Editor Patrick Morrissey

Chief Photographer Roger Phillips

020 8726 8322 020 8726 8323 020 8726 8321 020 8726 8315

Contributors Classical Music:Christopher Breunig JaZZ:Ben Watson Rock:Johnny Black, Ken Kessler Hi-fi:David Allcock, David Berriman,TonyBolton, Christopher Breunig,John Crane, Ben Duncan, BarryFox, Alvin Gold,Jonathan Gorse, Ian Harris, Keith Howard, Jimmy Hughes, loor Humphreys. Paul Miller, Howard Popeck

New subscriptions

Subscriptions queries

Back issues

0845 6767778 e-mail: [email protected]

01444475675 e-mail: [email protected]

020 8532 3628

Hi-Fi News magazine incorporates: Stereo, rape & Tape Recorders, Audio News, Record News, Audio Record Review, The Gramophone Record, Which CO? and Music Business, Hi-Fi News is a member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations ( ABC) and of EISA ( www.eisa-awards.org).

EISA •••••••:

Hi-Fi News is published on the first Friday of the month preceding the cover date by ¡PC Focus Network, part of the IPC Media Group. It costs £3.80 per issue (£44A0 for 12 months) in the UK; . 93.70 in Europe: $ 126.10 in North America; £78.73 for the rest of the world. Rates are for airmail delivery. See subscriptions order form page or call 0845 6767778 for latest special offers.

IPC Media, 2005, all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without permission, in writing, of the publishers. Distributed by Marketforce, tel 020 7261 5555. Typeset by Planart. London SEl. Printed in England by B R Hubbards. Sheffield, and Benham Goodhead, Bicester. ISSN 1472-2569.

¡ix COUNTRY &LEISURE

MEDIA

Taking a quick look at the review listing for this issue, you'll find a whole bunch of exciting products to gladden, the heart of the audiophile — whether you're looking for

the very best in CD replay or whether you're committed to vinyl, and whether you're wedded to two-channel stereo or have already taken the plunge into the multichannel, multicoloured world of home cinema. And nearly all our reviews explore products that do their best with no black magic, no bullshit, in fact almost none of that pseudo-science and mumbo-jumbo that gets hi-fi a bad name. Many years ago, we ran an 'April Fool's' edition of the

Accessories Club, in which the special offer for the month was a small bottle of allegedly rare and precious fluid. We called it 'snake oil', but admitted on the packaging that the main ( in fact the only) ingredient was H20. In this issue, the snake oil theme recurs a couple of times.

First, Andrew Harrison looks at something that many people might expect to be the ultimate in snake oil — an audiophile mains lead that costs nearly £2000. Can a two-metre long three-core cable really be worth

that much? To anyone outside this crazy industry, obviously it can't. But audiophiles — assuming they have the funds— look at things differently. The question is, not 'can these bits of wire be worth so much money', but 'will this product give the biggest improvement in sound that I can get by spending this sum of money?'. And then, the answer might be... well, turn to page 53.

Meanwhile, Ken Kessler has discovered an accessory prod with claimed effects that border on the miraculous. The smaltred plastic object, seen here split open to reveal the inert-looking 'chip' inside, doesn't look as if it could do anything to your system

or your CDs. But... KK describes what happened on page 138:, Those more interested in mainstream audio technology should

check out Keith Howard's feature ' DSPerate Times', page 90. As footnote to this, I must mention the major research project on DSP speaker correction by the Audio Research Lab, Essex University. Visit httpilwww.essex.ac.uk/esefresearch/audio lab/ad research.html.

•

Steve Harris EDITOR

• Your opinion? emai I [email protected]

Golden Sound's

Intelligent Chip:

see Ken Kessler's,

column, page 1 38

'Will this product give the biggest improvement in sound that I can get by spending this much money?'

Turmoil in the hi-fi industry resulted when chancellor Denis Healey

raised VAT on luxury goods from 8% to 25%. A frantic hi-fi boom slowed

to something nearer bust: typically, the JVC system on the June 1975

cover had to sell at around £346 instead of hitting the intended £299

price point. As usual for the time, most of the magazine's pages were

devoted to music and technical features, but that month's three product

reviews were memorable ones: a Fisher four- channel receiver, the

idiosyncratic Nytech CA 252 (the British made receiver- in- an-adding-

machine-case) and the newly-announced Rogers LS3/5a. It's an eerie

coincidence that, 30 years later to the very month Ion page 30 of this issue], we're bringing you its ghostly echo from the Rogers of today.

6 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNews hifinews 1)

A Sound Experience B&W Bowers&Wilkins

To celebrate the launch of the new 800 Series, B&W has produced a fascinating, feature-length DVD,

which also includes over an hour of great music.

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1 Listen and You'll See Art of Sound

3 University of Sound 4 Passion for Music 6 Sound Mirrors 6 Music and Sound 7 Credits

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A Sound Experience

Dnver Scoence

The pursuit of the perfect loudspeaker, ard

the characters that drive it, is the story of

800 Series. A Sound Experience brings this

story to life in six different chapters with a

stunning DTS and Stereo PCM soundtrack.

Listen and You'll See is a beautifully filmed

introduction to 800 Series set to concert

footage from Peter Gabriel's recent

Growing Up Live tour.

Art of Sound is a short film about the

maKing of the new 800 Series featuring

striking footage of the manufacturing

processes, from the magic of producing

diamond tweeter domes to traditioral

"wood- bending" techniques perfected

by Scandinavian craftsmanship

University of Sound is a detailed account

of the key technologies used in the 800

Series, delivered by B&W's own engineers

and filmed at the B&W Research Institute in

West Sussex, England.

Passion for Music Some of the world's

greatest performers, and owners of 800 Se-

ries, talk about their passion for music and

sound. Each artist has also kindly provided

a piece of music to accompany

his or her interview.

Sound Mirrors was commissioned by B&W

to achieve a truly awesome multi-chan-

nel recording. A collaboration betwe3n

pioneering producers-songwriters Coldcut

and classical composer Michael Price it

was recorded and mixed in London's Abbey

Road Studios using 800 Series throughout.

Musc and Sound is a selection of multi-

channel music provided by some of B&W's

many friends in the music industry. These

tracks cover a vast array of different styles,

some pushing the boundaries of both musi-

cal and recording technology, and are only

available in their surround versions.

To order your own free copy of

A Sound Experience visit www.bw800.com or telephone B&W Loudspeakers

on 01903 221500

www.bw800.com

Sources What's happening in the world of hi-fi

Visaton braces for UK Impact Visaton, the German loudspeaker drive unit and accessory manufacturer, has appointed Impact Audio

as its main UK distributor. Keen, obviously, to

promote its new partner's products, Impact

informs Hi-Fi News that Visaton has 'some of

the best design and test facilities in Europe and a commitment to new product

developments in materials technology and production techniques'.

The proof of the pudding, then, will be

with the German firm's latest TIW bass

units: these drivers are 'extra long throw'

devices which will suit subwoofer installations as well as three-or four-way systems. Apparently

composite cone technology allows the use of a rigid but lightweight material which results in a ' high

degree of accuracy and low bass range imaging. The TIW range comprises an

8in, 10in or 12in woofer. The 10in version, branded the TIW250XS is

the unit used in Visaton's VOX 253 MHT loudspeaker kit, which also

uses the firm's MHT 12 ribbon

tweeter and TI 100 titanium coned mid-range unit. The result? An ' open

and detailed sound', of course!

Impact Audio, 01270 883243 www.impactaudio.co.uk

Linn boss trumpets SACD surround... Linn Products' managirg cirector

Ivor Tiefenbrun Delieves the future of recorded music ies with surround sound technology — and

has urged the industry to support SACD as the preferred format:

'I believe surround sound wil become an essential aspect for all home entertainment systems for

music and cinema. It

eventually become universe,: he told the Sony/Philips-sponsored

Super Audio CD News web information sery ce recently.

'A high quality mu ti-chanrel music format is what our industry

needs to secure its future. We hope that the SACD market will

continue to grow but it depends on on-going support and entnusiasir

from the format champions arid

the record industry.' Linn has a vested interest in the

success of SACD. Linn Records

was a relatively early adopter of

the format, and in 2003 Linn

Products launched its first

universal DVD player with SACD compatibility. It has also been

designated as a supplier of hardware solutions to other manufacturers who wish to make

SACD players, selling the necessary disc mechanisms,

circuit boards and software. Ivor Tiefenbrun has suggested

that take-up of SACD will signal a return to a more ' traditional' way

of experiencing music: 'compatibility with 5.1 cinema

systems is very important for all music formats. SACD's surround

capability also lets us record music in more authentic ways.

'Much of the music we enjoy today was originally performed and

enjoyed in the round. The modern concert hall stage and 'stereo

presentation' is not the only, nor the best way for music to be

presented. It is just one that we

have grown accustomed to over the last 100 years as technology made the construction of cheap,

Ivor Tiefenbrun:

'Surround sound... will eventually become universal'

large-span concert halls possible

and widespread.' Linn Products, 0500 888909

www.linn.co.uk

www.superaudio-cd.cominews

...while Chakra makes grand entrance Linn has unveiled a total of

eight new Chakra amplifier

mocels, suited for a variety of appl cations from stereo to

multi-channel and from passive

to AKTIV, and sa .d to offer 'corsistent performance. control:ed "silent power" and pure sood in

virtually any performance

entertainment system.' The range extends from the C2100 (100W,

two channels) to the C4200,

(20CW four channels) and includes

the 100W six-channel, C6100.

Linn says that the Chakra topology represents a breakthrough

in power amplifier

technology by successfully combining the relative merits of

two disparate amplifier designs,

monolithic and bi-polar: 'when

output current is less than a few amps, all of the power output

comes from the monolithic,

maximising the speed and linear

properties of this design. At higher output currents the bi-polars

provide the majority of the

output current, leaving the

monolithic to operate well within its capability and so

able to correct any error

instantaneously.., with current

output virtually unlimited, Chakra promises robust and powerful

low-frequency response down to

near DC.' The range uses Linn's

proprietary Switch Mode Power

Supply (SMPS) technology. Linn Products, 0500 888909

www.linn.co.uk

Onkyo gets back into stereo

Following a pattern set by other trend-setting Japanese companies, Onkyo is launching a new range of

stereo hi-fi components. The 275 Series (named for their 275mm

width) comprises an 80W/ch integrated amp, CD player, and

FM/AM radio tuner. The C-733

CD player can play music CD, and

MP3 on data CD, employing 'vastly

over-specified' Wolfson 24/192

DACs, and is priced at £400. The A-933 amplifier, at £500, includes

five line- level inputs and m-m

phono, with a simple rotary knob

selector on the front, accompanied

only by an equally large volume knob. A pull-down flap conceals

other fascia controls. Inside the amp is a dual-mono layout with

two separate toroidal transformers.

The £300 T-433 ROS radio tuner

has the same sculpted front panel as the other units and includes a

30-station memory plus 5-mode

timer for use as a wake-up alarm.

Onkyo, 01494 681515

www.onkyo.co.uk

8 JUNE 2005 Hi-F,News www.hifinews.co.uk

A different Classé For more than 20 years Classé has been designing and manufacturing extraordinary

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engineers have a passion for wnat they create and it shows: engineering, style, user-

interface, product reliability and performance are all second to none. The new Delta

series is an inspired statement about the art of high performance design. Visit us

at wwvv.classeaudio.com or experience the product range at one of the following

authorised retailers.

Holburn Hi-Fi Ltd + 44 (0) 1224 585 713 [email protected]

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What's happening in the world of hi-fi Sources

DualDiscs hit UK stores DualDiscs — which play as a music CD

on one side and as a music DVD or

DVD-A with hi-res' audio on the other

— finally appeared in the UK in April.

But concerns over playability of the

CD layer remain, and promises of

major record label support have yet to

be fulfilled.

The first ten titles for Europe come

from 5.1 Entertainment/Silverline,

with discs costing the same as a

normal full-price CD.

DualDiscs provide a Dolby Digital

5.1 soundtrack for replay on all DVD-

Video players, and can include video

content such as concert footage, slide

shows and lyric sheets. All DualDiscs

issued so far, except those originating

from Sony Music, also offer advanced

resolution' sound, playable on DVD-

Audio players — although up to now

the hi-res DVD-A content has not

been flagged on the packaging.

Although the 'flipper' discs went on

sale in the USA in October last year,

the European launch had been held

up by a patent issue ['Sources', Feb].

Manufacture of DualDiscs in Europe

would have infringed patents held by

Dieter Dierks of Germany, who had

already devised and marketed a

double-sided CD/DVD disc called

DVDPlus. But Sony and Philips have

now made licensing agreements with

Dierks, allowing DualDisc pressing to

go ahead at their European plants.

In the USA, sales of DualDiscs are

said to have exceeded 1m units, with

Simple Plan's Still Not Getting Any..

(a DualDisc-only release) going

Platinum at the end of last year. It

cannot be said that DualDiscs will

play on all ' legacy' CD players and

other CD playing devices, but in the

USA issues of compatibility have

been talked down, with claims that

there have been almost no consumer

complaints. However, the samples we

received won't play on some CD

players: for our review of some of the

new releases, see p89.

www.dualdisc.com

The first 10 titles All on the Silverline label, the first 10

DualDiscs released in Europe are:

Tipper, Surrounded [2841121;

Blondie, The Curse of Blondie

[2845992]; Gary Moore, Back To The

Blues [28454721; Jane Monheit,

Come Dream With Me [2841392];

Todd Rundgren, Liars [2846002];

Robert Cray, lime Will Tell

[2845152]; The Mavericks, The

Mavericks [2845412]; Poncho

Sanchez, Poncho At Montreux

[2841472]; Gene Simmons, ****hole

[2846012]; and Gordon Goodwin's

Big Phat Band, Swingin' For The

Fences [2841072].

Is It Rolling Bob? A Reggae Tribute To Bob Ds la.

Aga. I

Downloading, Dolby Headphone and web-based

DualDisc aims to be a complete

package medium for all music

users, with the inclusion of AAC

and WMA files for download to

personal players. On the Silverline

discs, these tracks are Dolby

Headphone-encoded, giving a

surround effect for headphone

extras

listening. A further innovation

pioneered by Silverline is DVD

Launcher, in which the computer

ROM area on the DVD layer is used

to provides a link to the web,

allowing users to access extras

such as bonus tracks, videos, artist

information and photo galleries.

'Flipper' sides: colour coding marks

DualDisc's DVD and CD playing sides

Symmetry secures TEAC's clamping technology TEAC has appointed UK distributor

Symmetry to handle sales of its

Esoteric Series of high-end audio-

video components — and Symmetry

has now brought TEAC's X-01

Esoteric SACD/CD player to the UK

marketplace. The £8995 X-01

embraces TEAC's VRDS-NEO

technology, in a mechanism derived

from the company's long-

established VRDS technology. The

X-01 player handles SACD, CD and

CD-R/RW discs, sports a

magnesium turntable, a pickup

thread servo system to maintain

accurate laser beam angle, and a

machined aluminium disc tray and

heavyweight steel chassis.

Symmetry, 01727 865488

www.teac.comiesoteric

SO WHAT IS VRDS?

Mass-manufactured discs do not

meet the ideal of a perfect

flatness. With VDRS, TEAC has

addressed this problem at its

mechanical source: the whole

disc is clamped tightly against a

solid precision-machined

turntable to establish a flat

seface. Tight control of every

movement within the mechanism

is the key to 'accurate and

precise' reproduction of music,

says TEAC, claiming that:

'presented with a flat disc

surface, isolated from the outside

world, the laser beam can

transmit the purest bitstream.'

www.hifinews.co.uk Hi-FiNews JUNE 2005 11

6 key elements

The Six: . Top mounted tweeter avoiding diffraction for more natural sound imaging.

. Elegantly sloped cabinet design to enhance

sound dispersion and time phase coherency.

• High-grade mirror-imaged finish on gloss black,

gloss sliver, gloss white.

. High-grade furniture-quality real wood tweeter cover and wood side panel reinforcement.

• Base chamber design, to increase weight by fill in leads or sand and better bass control.

• Design by Dr. Joseph D'appolilto

Usher 6 Series CP-6311 speaker

* 2004 CES "Best at Show" by The Stereo Times * 2004 "Editors' Choice" by THE ABSOLUTUOUND * 2004 "Great Sound, Awesome Build-QualiteTerrific Value"

by AUDIO VIDEO GUIDE ir 2005 "Editors' Choice" by Audio Art

ntemporary Art

SERIES*

USHER AUDIO TECHNOLOGY -mail:usherOms 1 1 . ifinet. net 67 Kai-Fong Street Sec.1 Taipei 100 Taiwan Te1:886-2-23816299 Fax:886-2-2371105

HIAudio 9 Sovereign Gardens Miskin nr Pontyclun CF72 8SZ

Tel/Fax: 01443 231458 Mob:07968 272614 Web:www.hiaudio.co.uk Email: hugh@hiau

X-616

amensions(w x d x h,cm):65x35x2

35x65x110

C-6371 Dimenslensfw x cl x h,cm):35x65x119.

C'-6381 Chmensionslw x d x h,cml:35x65x123

CP-6391 1:8mensiensfw x cl x h,cm1:35x74x123


Meridian audio processor

MUM

Meridian G681 The G681 is an audio-only AV

surround processor, with a THX

Ultra2 badge. Billed as ' cost

effective', it provides a variety of

multichannel inputs, including two

Meridian MHR Smart Link six-

channel digital inputs, accepting

signals from Meridian disc players.

By upsampling these signals, the G68 promises improvements in

sound quality from movie and

multichannel music recordings. The G68J leaves out facilities

required in more sophisticated,

multi-room systems, and in

addition does not handle video

Meridian 800 Version 4

signals, leaving these to other components. A typical system may

see Meridian's G98 DVD-Audia

player connected to the G68J,

allowing the G98's extensive video

inputs and on-board scaling to supply video from various sources to the display via a single cable, with other

video scaled to match the display. The G68J also omits a radio tuner. Available now, it costs

£3650.

Meridian has also

unveiled the 800 Version

4 DVD player — now with

digital video out — adding

High Definition Multimedia Interface

(HDMI), video inputs and scaling to its Reference

Series player. The 800 sports a

modular, card-based architecture, which

allows it to be expanded

and developed as technology and

industry standards advance. The new 800 Version 4, at £ 11,525,

offers support for video cards originally designed for the 861,

plus extensive video scaling capability. In addition, the 800 Version 4 can now be set up with

Meridian's new Windows-only

MConfig software.

Also fresh for summer is the

DSP5200, the latest DSP-based

loudspeaker. Meridian's engineers

have squeezed the design and

styling of Meridian's flagship DSP8000 and DSP7000 into a

package just under a metre tall.

This self-contained system combines a 2 1/2-way crossover design for its three drivers, with three amplifiers,

two multi-bit/delta-sigma D/A converters, and digital

crossovers in an attempt to deliver 'an impressive, powerful and accurate

sound with remote control

over bass, treble tilt,

time-correct balance, absolute phase, tweeter

axis and input'. The

standard vertical version

of the DSP5200 is £6150

per pair ( also available singly). A horizontal

centre model will be

available later in the year. Meridian 01480 445678

WVAV.meridian-audio.com

Acoustic Solutions' Jukebox Jive

SP159

411MMI.

1.11 1.11 •

(;) «Mu

More budget gadgetry from the

ever-popular Acoustic Solutions is

on its way to a Richer Sounds

near you. For under £200, the

firm is foisting the SP150 Audio Jukebox on gizmo-hungry punters.

This ingenious CD player-cum-

data storage device can rip CDs directly onto a 40GB internal hard

Segel ADunVre.r,

•

drive — no PC required. Its Audio

Blend software means this SP150

is apparently the world's first

jukebox system capable of

segueing tracks together, providing

hours of uninterrupted playback. An inbuilt compression system

means you can store up to 8000 'average length' tracks (or about

22r1IVI

12 prog rock numbers!). Ripping

is a doddle, and the integrated

Gracenote CDDB information

database means that track

information is automatically

displayed on the LCD screen.

Acoustic Solutions

01327 340601 www.acousticsolutions.net

Shorts RUSS ANDREWS' Pro HiFi-Link is a USB audio interface for computers, bypassing the internal soundcard, and offering stereo analogue and digital coax and optical outputs. Standard bus- powered version is £79.95, and upgraded power supply version from £89.95. Tel: 0845 345 1550 www. russandrews.corn

SENNHEISER HD 215 are semi-pro headphones with closed back for private listening or DJ/monitoring use. Response is quoted as 12Hz-22kHz, 32 ohm impedance, and comes with 3.5mm and 1/4in plugs. Tel: 0800 652 5002 www.sennheiserco.uk

NORDOST Brahma is the latest mains lead using Valhalla technology. It uses five 16AWG silver-plated copper conductors with mono-filament insulation. Price is £900/2m length terminated with Wattgate IEC plug. Tel: 01352 730251 www.nordost.corn

APPLE, maker of the iconic iPod, is now a member of the Blu-ray Disc Association. Blu-ray, along with HD-DVD, will be one of two new high-capacity discs able to carry hi-res video and audio. www.blu-raycorn

GRYPHON winners: we got a huge response to our March competition, in which the prizes were 12 Gryphon Exorcist system demagnetisers and 12 Black Exorcist cartridge demagnetisers, worth a total of £ 2400. Here are the names of the 24 winners: Surjit, P Milner, G Fanshawe, L Bourne, D Peat, G Ralph, D Sim, J D McClymont, S Bond, S Weston of Oxford, D J Duffy, J Wells, P Haywood, I Paton, T Cymbalisty, G Walsh, M Coldicott, D England, P Harrington, Mr P Corin, Donna Johnston, N Freeman, Paul Head and Stuart MacKenzie.

For more information on Gryphon products, visit www.gryphon-audio.dk


99 cd-s

99 cd-p

fm tuner

pre-amplfier

stereo power amplifier

ITS nit) power amplifier

909 stereo power ampl

quad 99 series

Authorised Stockists

Product of the Year 2002-2004 Aberdeen Holbum Hi-Fi, 01224 58571$ • Basingstoke Audio T, 01256 324311 * Beckenham Musical Images, 0208 6633777 * Birmingham Music Matters, 0121 4292811 * Bournemouth Movement Audio, 01202 529988 • Brentwood Audio T. 01277 264730 * Bristol Radfords, 0117 9441010 * Cambridge Hughes Ltd., 01223 461518 * Canterbury Canterbury 01227 765315 * Cardiff Sevenoaks. 02920 472899 * Cheadle Audio Counsel, 0161 4916090 *Cheltenham Hutchinson& 01242 573012 * Cheshire Hi-Fi Stereo, 0161 9735577 * Cornwall RJ.E, 01209 710777 *Coventry Frank Harvey 02476 525200 * Crewe Sound of Music, 01270 214143 * Darlington Music Matters, 01325 481418 * Edinburgh Hi-Fi Corner. 0131 5567901 *Edinburgh Hi-Fi Corner, 0131 2201535 * East Grinstead Audio Designs, 01342 314569 • Exeter Howards, 01392 258518 *Falkirk Hi-Fi Corner, 01324 629011 * Gateshead Lintone Audio, 0191 4772771 * Glasgow Glasgow Audio, 0141 3324707 * Glasgow Hi-Fi Corner, 0141 2265711 * Guildford PJ. Hi-Fi. Ltd.. 01483 504801 • I larrop,ate Hi-Fi Hut, 01423 810990 * Hastings Adams & Jarratt. 01424 437165 • llereford English Audio. 01432 355081 * High Wycombe Audio T, 01494 558585 * Hove Sevenoaks. 01273 733338 * Huddersfield Hi-Fi Huddersfield, 01484 544668 * Hull Zen Audio, 01482 587397. Hull Sevenoaks. 01482 587171 * Inverness Telly on the Blink. 01463 233175 * Lancashire Homers Hi-Fi, 01254 887799 • Lancaster Practical Hi-Fi, 01524 39657 * Leeds Sevenoaks. 0113 2452775 * Leicester Sevenoaks, 0116 2536567 * Lewisham Billy Vet', 0208 3185755 * Lincoln Sevenoaks, 01522 527397 * London Bartlett& 0207 6072296 • London KJ. West one. 0207 4868262 * London Spatial Audio, 0207 4365358 *Macclesfield Dooleys. 01625 423158 * Maidstone Home Media Ltd., 01622 676703•Manchester Practical Hi-Fi, 0161 8398869 • Montrose Robert Richie, 01674 673765 • New Malden linilet Sound & Vision, 0208 9429567 • Newcastle Global Ili-Fi Centre. 0191 2303600 • Newcastle (metro) Lintone Audio, 0191 4600999 * Norwich Marlins Hi-Fi, 01603 627010 * Nottingham John Kirk. 01159 252986 • Nottinp,hain Sevenoaks, 01159 112121 * Oxford Audio T, 01865 765961 * Preston Sevenoaks, 01772 825777 • Rugby Sounds Expensive. 01788 540772 * Salisbury Salisbury Hi- Fi, 01722 322169 * Scarborough Zen Audio, 01723 350850 * Sheffield Moorgate Acoustics, 0114 275 6048 * Shrewsbury SMC Sound and Vision, 01743 232317 * Solihull Music Matters. 0121 742 0254 * Southampton Sevenoaks, 02380 337770 *Staines Sevenoaks. 01784 460777 • Stourbridge Music Matters, 01384 444184 * Sutton Goldfield Music Matters, 0121 3542311 * Swindon Sevenoaks, 01793 610992 * Tunbridge Wells Sounds of Music. 01892 545688 * Warrington Doug Brady 01925 828009 *Watford Hi-Fi City 01923 226169 • Weybridge Sevenoaks. 01932 828525 * Wigan Adventures in Hi-Fi, 01942 234202 *Witham Sevenoaks, 01376 501733 • Woverhampton Sevenoaks. 01902 312225 *Worcester Worcester Ili-Fi, 01905 612929 * Wrexham Acton Cate Audio. 01978 364500 *York Vickers Ili-Fi, 01904 629659

What Hi-Fi Sound & Vision (I IL Loudspeakers)

Product of the Year 2004-2005 What Hi-Fi Sound & Vision (Full size surround speakers)

Separates System of the Year 2003-2005

Nms ((P SLI•ips)

QUAD Quad Eleccroacoustics IAG House, Sovereign Curt,

Ermine Business Park, Huntingdon, Cambs, PI-29 6X1,

Download brochures and reviews from www.quad-hifi.co.uk

Tel: 0845 4580011, km 01480 431767


Hi- Fi &Home Entertainment Show

New name, new attractions for London's Hi-Fi Show

sae

Highlights of the 2004 show: Emotive Excellence [above], TacT

[top right] and InFocus [ right]

Goldring GR2

Goldring has a new record player, the GR2, said :o deliver a

substantial improvement over the £140 GR1.2 It comes fitted with a

Goldring 1012GX m-m cartridge

(worth £ 100), for a price of £265. The GR2 includes a large 18mm main bearing in order to reduce

rumble, and the ' Kronospan' platter

has a heavy metal insert near the

rim, in order to improve speed

accuracy through a fly-wheel effect.

Motor is a 12-pole AC synchronous type, and a stepped pulley allows two-speed (33/45rpm) belt-drive to

the inner platter. Armour Home Electronics,

01279 501111 www.goldring.co.uk

September 2005 sees London's annual Hi-Fi Show take on a new

identity as The Hi-Fi & Home

Entertainment Show.

The event promises to be the ultimate high-end experience,

showcasing even more of the very

best in pure audio and all of the burgeoning new formats -

including Blu-ray and HD-DVD,

maybe even European-spec HDTV, if all goes to plan.

Major presentations of the

latest in plasma, LCD and other

flat screen technologies are planned, along with a repeat of

some of last year's most

successful exhibits - including AV Tech's state-of-the-art home

cinema demonstration,

conducted by Paul Miller. BADA (the British Audiovisual Dealers Association) is also on board for

2005 with a Multi-Channel Room, so visitors will experience

a vivid encounter with what a

professional ; nstallation offers.

Visitors will also get the

chance to quiz Hi-Fi News' expert contributors one-on-one in a special new meeting area at

the Hi-Fi News stand. So if you

have a question for Barry Fox, Ken Kessler, Martin Colloms or any of our writers, watch this

space. We'll announce a timetable to make sure you can hook up with your chosen expert.

2005 also marks a milestone

in the history of audio, as Hi-Fi

Irving M Fried, 1920-2005 Founder of IMF and head of Fried

Products, Irving M Bud' Fried,

passed away in April. He fell in

love with the art and science of

sound reproduction when he

heard the sound of Stokowski and

the Philadelphia Orchestra

emerging from the large horns of

his father's movie theatres in 1928; the year movies began to

talk! Bud attended Harvard (1938) where he benefited from

the genius of Professors Hunt and

Pierce, who, under a Western

Electric grant, were conducting their monumental research into

high-fidelity phono reproduction.

In World War II, he served in

the South Pacific. In 1957, Victor

Brociner, co-founder of Fisher

Radio, suggested that he become

the importer of Lowther corner horns, the creations of Paul Voigt.

In 1958, Bud became the

importer of the Quad electrostatic. At the suggestion of Saul

Marantz, the IMF trademark was

registered in 1961. In 1968 a UK branch of IMF was opened. It was

this Anglo-Anerican company which produced the now

legendary IMF Monitor. His

contributions to speaker design

also include° the Model H

System, the first modern sub/sat

system; the Model M ( 1977), the

first satellite transmission- line

subwoofer in one unit, the Super

Monitor ( 1978) and the B

satellite series ( 1976 to 1979).

Bud's philosophy and speaker

design legacy continues through Fried Products Corporation of Pennsylvania.

Bud is survived by his wife

Jane and daughter Liz.

News - first published in June

1956 - is about to celebrate its first half-century. We will start

the celebrations early with the publication of the book Sound

Bites, an informative and irreverent history of audio by Ken

Kessler and Steve Harris. Packed with anecdotes and revelations,

this is the book that hi-fi

enthusiasts have been waiting for, ever since Hi-Fi News first

noted the passion for audio's past. And future. Watch out for it

at the Show. • The Hi-Fi & Home

Entertainment Show takes place

at the Renaissance and Park Inn Hotels, Heathrow, London and is

open to the public on Saturday

24 and Sunday 25 September,

10am to 6pm. Open to trade visitors only on Friday 23

September. For more details visit www.hi-finews.co.uk .

Events 5-8 MAY High End 2005,

MCC Munich, Germany, organised by The High End

Society

www.highendsoctety.de

27-30 JUNE CEDIA Expo 2005, International Convention

Centre, Birmingham. Call 01462 627377

www.cedta.co.uk

23-25 SEPTEMBER Hi-Fi &

Home Entertainment Show,

Park Inn and Renaissance

Hotels, Heathrow, London,

sponsored by Hi-Ft News. Call

020 8726 8317 or visit

ivvvw.hifinews.co.uk

29-30 OCTOBER Home

Entertainment Show, Renaissance Hotel, Manchester.

Call 0161 839 8869

Guarantee yourself a copy of Hi-Fi News every month Call our subscriptions hotline now on 01622 778778

www.hifinews.co.uk HI-FINews JUNE 2005 15

www.silt chcables.co R.T.Service

32 Rawthey Av. Didcot,Oxfordshire OX11 7XN.Te1.0123 5810455

Opinion

The event organiser said all the majors were coming. An

lour after the start a party of three from Universal arrived

Barry Fox A

t last! DualDisc is coming to the UK'. In fact — as our news story tells — DD is coming to the whole of Europe.

But so far only one company, independent Silverline 5.1

Entertainment, is committed to the launch, and only ten titles

— with American NTSC video content but no regional coding — are slated. Considerable confusion surrounds the claimed

support from majors Sony/BMG, Universal, Warner and EMI. After test marketing of DualDisc in Boston and Seattle in

February 2004, the ' flipper' concept (a half-thickness DVD

bonded back to back to a thinner-than-usual CD) got the official go-ahead from the DVD Forum's Steering Committee

last June and was formally launched by all the major record labels in the USA in October. The ratified revision to the DVD

standard is called ' single thin layer disc'. After complaints

from Philips the CD logo is not used. Like conventional CDs and DVDs, flippers have a maximum allowable thickness of

1.5mm, but whereas the factories that make CDs and DVDs

are aiming for 1.2mm, flipper

presses are aiming for just below 1.5mm. So there is little tolerance when it comes to manufacturing.

The rival flipper format, DVD Plus,

was developed by Dieter Dierks in

Germany, with pressing initially by Sonopress in Germany, then Digital

Valley, France. DVDPI us has already

been test-marketed in Europe but

most importantly Dierks claims

European and Australian patent rights. Last December Sony (perhaps with unhappy memories of its 20-year

patent dispute with Andreas Pavel over Walkman) bought DADC a licence to use Dierks' patents and press the Silveri ine discs.

Other pressing plants appear a lot less anxious to take a

licence, and may fight the patents before signing.

DOLBY LAUNCH The European DualDisc launch announcement was held at Dolby

Labs' offices in Central London, with Meridian in attendance

because Dolby and Meridian license the MLP system used for

DVD-Audio. Silverline discs have DVD-A surround on one side and

CD stereo on the other. John Trickett, Silverline 5.1's Chairman,

showed parts of the ' now one disc has it all' promotional video that was screened at NARM in the USA. He promised a ' less American' version for the UK, but it had not been readied for the launch event.

Target thickness is 1.43-1.46mm. I measured the five discs

that were given out as shrink-wrapped samples. They range

between 1.45 and 1.47mm. I suspect a lot depends on how

they are measured. 'Out of one million discs sold since the full-scale US launch

of 70 titles by majors and independents four months ago, less

than 40 people have complained and ten of those were saying they couldn't download the content. There were no complaints

over problems with hardware,' says Trickett.

But some manufacturers have posted warnings about DualDisc

on their web sites. Have they now retracted? 'Manufacturers were concernea in the beginring because

:he CD layer is thinner. So you can't blame manufacturers for

testing for safety. I am not aware of any retract ons. It will take some time,' said Trickett. 'I expect the record companies

to stop releasing DVD-Audio on its own. All DDs will be DVD-A

and CD'. Playing time for the CD side is claimed to be 73-74 minutes, with DVD capacity the full 4.7 GB. There are no

plans yet for a dual layer DVD-9. Silverline's titles will sell to dealers at £8.49, for binring with CDs to sell for the same

Drice as premium top- line CDs.

MAJOR BACKING?

Although Trickett tried to give frank answers to questions, he

was clearly in difficulty because none of the major record labels were in the briefirg room to back him. 'We have their

unequivocal support,' he assured, ' believing' that the majors were in another room ready to confirm support. But an hour

after start time there were still no majors to talk to. Ahead of the launch Dolby had said: 'There will be other

record labels at the launch so you can ask then their exact

release schedules then.' Meridian had been expecting Sony to

attend. Event Organiser Mike Chadwick of Essential Music

and Marketing said all the majors were coming. An hour after the start time a party of three from Universal

arrived. 'We have heard aboLt DualDisc and came to get information,' said Universal's Catalogue Manager Daryl Easlea.

'We have no launch plans. No plans at all,' said Universal's

Sales Manager Dave Bartholomew. As with all new formats

you need the retailers involved. If not it will be like SACD, which is dying a quiet death'.

Despite requests and reminders i.o Silver,ine I have heard

nothing from any of the majors supposedly DI a n n i ng a launch. All five DualDiscs played on my consumer payers (CD,

SACD and DVD-A) but playback on an in-car CD player

(Goodmans) was hit and miss. Only one disc p ayed reliably, the other four often gave an error message, especially when

the player was cold — even thougn it reliably handles

conventional CDs and even CMs with the extra thickness of a stuck-on printed label. The in-car player is aso painfully

slow at recognising the DualDiscs, taking ua ta 20 seconds before either playing the music ar displaying ' Error'. I have

also asked for comment on this bu: not yet heard anything.

www.hifinews.co.uk

41Vie ,Ïier

HI-Fitlews JUNE 2005 17

Denon DCD-SA1 PRICE £5000

Denon PMA-SA1 PRICE £5500

There has always been a streak of uncompromising audio purism in the Japanese psyche. In the UK we have been shielded from much of it, partly because high-end

tastes don't always travel well. Denon itself ran the so-called Reference Class S1 series from which these two newcomers are loosely derived in 1993, but since then most of its investment has been on multichannel and home cinema. So these two SA1 components, the PMA integrated amplifier and the SA1 stereo SACD/CD disc player, are the first fruits of a rekindled interest within Denon in high-end audio. The new models were shown in pre-production form at CES in January. There are some surprises about where Denon has

decided to ring the changes, and where it hasn't. Aesthetically, these components could not be more conventional, but the quality of the fully-machined top and side panels is anything but routine. These are hi-fi components built with the exquisite attention to detail of a fine Swiss watch. They could be described as retro if they had much that could be identified as style — but don't let this put you off. For the amplifier, Denon's engineers seem to have

stuck with a basically simple integrated design, and made it as well as they knew how. But where does the

interest in stereo SACD come from? The answer is that it appears to be part of a peculiarly Japanese obsession, where multichannel audio has tended to play second fiddle to stereo, but where the audio quality of SACD has proved a real draw. From the designer's point of view, a stereo SACD/CD player is an obvious extension of a straight high-end CD player. Being stereo, there is little if any technical compromise over stereo CD, and because it is not a DVD player, there are none of the tradeoffs associated with video circuitry in proximity to the CD playing hardware. As most audiophiles are more interested in sound quality than a multiplicity of channels, the DCD-SA1 is the obvious way to go.

EARLY SAMPLES The samples I received were from early batches, and of full production standard on the whole [but see the boxout on the DCD-SA1] except that they came without instructions, or much other documentation. We had to refer to Japan to find out what one of the amplifier's more obscure controls was for. I received only one remote control with the pair, which was initially assumed to be a mistake. Designated for the CD player, this lacks even punch-through facilities for amplifier volume or source selection. Turns out the amplifier has no remote control of any kind, no IR wand, not even a rear panel IR or RS232 control input. The PMA-SA1 amplifier is brutally, uncompromisingly manual, with a conventional continuously variable volume potentiometer, albeit a rather specialised high quality

18 JUNE 2005 Hi-FINews www.hifinews.co.uk

Hi-FiNews Definitive Test SACD player/amplifier

Until now, it seemed that Denon had abandoned high-end stereo, choosing instead to invest in mass market multichannel. Alvin Gold applauds a no-compromise return to the fray

lc Chunky fascia with luxurious buttons: the fit and finish is superb

one, a clear step or three up the evolutionary ladder from the usual suspects — because even a motorised pot was considered to be too much of a compromise.

PLAYER FACILITIES Player facilities include CD and SACD Text, and digital inputs (optical and electrical) allow connection of other source components to the player's DAC. A front panel control invokes a Pure Direct' mode that switches off the digital inputs and outputs and extinguishes the front panel display. SACD setup turns out to be nothing mare exotic than a simple CD/SACD stereo selector; there are no switchable filters such as with the recently introduced Marantz SA-11S1 SACD/CD player [reviewed by KK in May] and PM-11S1 amplifier. The

one rather surprising statistic not so far alluded to is the weight — an extraordinary 21.8kg. The PMA-SA1 trumps this by tipping the scales at 30kg, par for the course for a 7.1 channel AV receiver rated at 120 or 150 watts per channel, but in this case we're talking about a two-channel amplifier. It is rated at 50W/ch for an 8 ohm load, doubling to 100W into a 4 ohm load. So in practice the available power even into difficult loads like the B&W 800D [HFN, April] is comparable to many 100W-rated amplifiers.

After that massive rotary volume knob, the next most prominent control is a rotary input selector for six (single-ended) line-level inputs (two of which are tape circuits) and the m-m phono input. There is also an XLR-based balanced input, to match the balanced

II The PMA-SA1 is brutally manual; even a motorised pot was deemed

too much of a compromise output provided by the CD/SACD player. There are no pre-out/main-in connections.

PERFORMANCE The performance of the two components was assessed largely as a combination rather than individually; they were tried against comparable pairings (notably a


Made to match: the player [ right] has balanced (XLR) outputs to suit the PMA-SAl's XLR inputs as well as the usual phonos. Optical and electrical digital inputs allow you to use it as a DAC

Classé integrated amp/CD combination), and the amplifier and CD/SACD player were also swapped into other combinations. Nordost Valhalla interconnects in single-ended (phono) and balanced (XLR) form were used between the two. The main loudspeaker used for this test was the B&W 800D, after it became obvious that although other speakers on hand could match the B&W in specific areas, none could equal the B&W's peerless resolving ability. And it is this quality above all — resolving ability —

that the Denon brings to the table in an almost unprecedented form. The level of detail that the combination can extract from disc is quite extraordinary, and may transform your view of some familiar recordings. With many mainstream commercial recordings which have been processed to death at the recording or mastering stages, the two Denon components contribute little that other more

The level of detail that the combination can extract from a

i di▪ sc ▪ s quite extraordinary mundane hardware can't do equally well. But give them their head with programme material that has been recorded honestly and simply, and where the musical dynamics have not been steamrollered into oblivion at source, and the Dendn combination starts to sound genuinely special. There is a pin-sharp precision, along with a sense of vitality and communicativeness that is quite special. When this happens, the sound gathers together in a

way that is very clearly superior, though it can be

difficult to pin down what it is that makes it better until you revert to an inferior replay chain. Typically, the levels of detail is consistently higher through the Denon than though other good (and comparably expensive) combinations. But there is more to it than this. The sound has a certain presence, not forwardness exactly, and not the kind of tactile quality that some amplifiers in particular are adept at providing, but still a sense of physical presence independent of the loudspeakers. This goes hand in hand with an unusual refinement and sensitivity to changes in instrumental timbre. There is something unusual about the bass too, that

plays an important part in the performance of the pair as a whole. It is not that the bass goes deeper and that

Amplifier rear panel offers six line inputs plus m-m phono for LP

20 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNews www.hifinews.co.uk


it is fuller, or even that it is more tuneful than others. If anything the bass is less conspicuous than from some of its rivals: certainly there is no boom, no overhang. The bass does not tub-thump; it simply belongs to the

rest of the sound. It has great immediacy, but again a characteristic transparency. The larger picture of this is that timing is unusually

secure. Nothing drags, the whole frequency range speaks with one voice and the best way to describe the effect is similar to the coherent experience you expect from a live music event. The effect is very inviting, and there is less listening fatigue than usual.

In some ways the CD player is less distinctive than the SACD player, but this may be unfair: the DCD-SA1 was always up to the task. With top-rated CD recordings, take for example the new Simon Rattle CBSO Mahler 8 on Decca, the sound was exquisitely refined and detailed in the quieter passages, and if it didn't hold together ideally in the crescendos, that is simply a reflection of the limitations of a recording medium that simply can't cope with what Mahler put on the page. But what was abundantly apparent was the ebb and flow, the sense of swelling into climax, the passion and commitment of the performance (this particular performance), and the enormous sense of grip which is almost a synonym for power. And with SACD hybrid discs, the difference between SACD and CD layers was as plain as a pikestaff (unusually, as there are many SACDs in which the DSD layer is converted from PCM, and shows no real advantage

Completely manual: the volume control is a potentiometer type with gold-plated wiper

With SACD hybrid discs, the difference between SACD and CD layers was plain as a pikestaff

over CD). This is an excellent player for those members of the audio fraternity who continue to decry high-resolution audio as not offering anything that CD can't. I have been able to follow the recent history of the

PMA-SA1 as it was prepared for UK release. There has

DCD-SA1 CD player

The DCD-SA1 is one of a select new breed of

players that supports two-channel stereo SACD

and CD only. Stereo SACD mixes are included

on all SACDs, whether single-layer or hybrid

dual- layer, and of course this player can play

both SACD and CD layers of hybrid discs.

The player employs a newly designed version

of Denon's hybrid SVH series mechanism, in

which the emphasis is on mechanical stability

and the reduction of microphony, and which —

along with the control firmware — was

developed in-house. It almost goes without

saying that the master clock oscillator is

designed to minimise jitter and noise. A

number of design features are involved,

including a modular clock design and

minimised path lengths between the clock and

the DACs, with dedicated arrangements for the

DSD and the PCM clock. A Pure Direct mode

douses the display and the digital outputs.

Separate discrete circuits blocks are used for

PCM and DSD processing. True to form, the

DCD-SA1 employs Denon's favoured AL24

waveform smoothing technology processing in

an enhanced Advanced form for PCM signal

processing. This adds 8 bits of interpolated

data below the 16 bits read off the disc, which

is upsampled to 192kHz, with measures taken

over the design of the oversampling

interpolation filters to minimise ringing.

One feature that was not implemented on

the review player, but which will be on

production players is an alternative signal path,

in which DSD is converted to PCM for

processing via the Advanced AL24 signal chain.

The main output is derived from a D/A

conversion stage using separate Burr-Brown

DSD1792 DACs for the each of the + and —

outputs to provide a true balanced source

without the necessity for polarity conversion

with op-amps. In this player, the unbalanced

output is derived from the differential drive, so

it makes even more sense to use the XLR

outputs. Note that a front panel 'balance'

switch must be selected on the PMA-SA1

amplifier if its XLR input is to be used. This

overrides any other selected input, and there is

then a delay of a few seconds before the

loudspeakers are connected.

Just as with the amplifier, mechanical design

has been a major priority. The power supply

arrangements include two large transformers,

one for the digital, the other for the analogue

circuits, and again they are encapsulated in

sandcast anti-vibration housings. In addition,

shock absorbing material is used between the

transformer housings and the base, and the

case itself is made from a number of separate

components which provide mutual damping.

The baseplate itself consist of three plates

and a specially tuned cast iron ' insulator' — the

insulation being mechanical rather than

electrical of course, and the tuning achieved by

controlling the carbon content with additional

damping from felt inserts. Similar design ideas

are used for the side panels, and the PC boards

are 'floated' from the chassis using resin

damping elements.

Denon's notes supplied with the two

products tested make great play of the quality

of the components they use, some of which are

hand made and/or highly selected, are said to

be difficult to procure, and indeed are currently

used only by Denon in some cases.

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This remote is for the SACD/

CD player only: the amp has

no remote facilities

also been a degree of fine

tuning with the UK in

mind; the prototype I

heard was somewhat 'in

your face' partly it seems

because of the (UK-

made) loudspeakers that

Denon's design team was

using for voicing. The

production version is

clearly better balanced:

more relaxed and more

relaxing. I am pleased

that Denon hasn't taken

the route of engineering

these components to sound valve-like (despite the

reference to valve-like amplifier output devices). On

the contrary, this combination shows how far you can

go by allowing solid-state technology its head — but

keeping complexity to an irreducible minimum, while

maximising component quality.

Taking a more global view, the Denon duo appears to

be part of what looks dangerously like a pattern. Apart

from the previously-mentioned Marantz components,

and the simplified version of the two Denons that are

bound to follow, TEAC's Esoteric sub-brand is actively

involved in stereo SACD, Classé has only just launched

a nearly comparable pairing (though without SACS)

unfortunately), and T+A is in the middle of launching

two of its own stereo SACD/CD players. Sony is known

to have something similar in development.

Could this be the beginning of a resurgence of

interest in high-end stereo audio, an area that Denon

for one had virtually abandoned? Or is this just wishful

thinking? Either way. Denon is on a roll. la

Supplier

Denon UK Ltd

01234 741200

www.denon.co.uk

1-11-FiNews verdict Conventional looks, but this pairing boasts superb resolving abilities,

coherence, timing and the kind of presence that makes music an

almost palpable experience. A rallying cry for high- resolution stereo?

For the Japanese

market, the PMA-

SA1 sports this

wood-trimmed

volume knob

PMA-SA1 amplifier

Key elements that can be abstracted from

Denon's description of this amplifier are

'simple and straight' for the circuit design, and

a physical construction that minimises the

effects of microphony.

Simplicity is addressed in many ways, and is

the overarching reason for the elimination of a

headphone socket and pre-out/main in

terminals, along with other more traditional

exclusions — tone controls, muting and so on.

Tape output switching can be turned off using

the record selector that also selects bi-

directional dubbing between two recorders. A

balance control is fitted.

Chassis construction is internally subdivided

into six cells: the equaliser/input section,

volume control, voltage amplification, power

amplification, power supply and the control

section, each screened by 1.6mm thick copper

plated steel plates. The independent left and

right channel main heatsinks are also designed

to suppress resonance. The PMS-SA1 is a

balanced- mode amplifier internally, but it

supports normal single-ended inputs without

the necessity for conversion with an inverter

stage, while the output of the pre-amp feeds

the power amp internally in balanced form.

The phono stage is designed for moving-

magnet cartridges only, with a sensitivity of

2.5mV for full output (signal/noise 89dB). The

design features an active first stage built

around a low- noise FET. Volume control is a

mechar ical potentiometer type, with no power

assistance or remote control, as noted

elsewhere. It uses carbon ink and a multiple

contact gold-plated wire brush wiper, the

business parts being housed in a copper case

essentially to eliminate microphony, and it

offers a maximum attenuation of 120dB.

A key part of the PMA-S1 is the use of

relat,vely unusual species of output MOSFET,

the Ultra High Current UHC-MOS, which is said

by Denon to combine a ' valve like' sonic

signature with an even higher current drive

capability than bipolars in a simple single ( pair)

push-pull circuit, which gives a high damping

factcr. The UHC-MOS stage uses cascade

bootstrap circuitry to linearise its behaviour,

and to improve stability over a wide

temperature range, while retaining an

essentially uncomplicated circuit architecture.

The massive main transformers are potted

down into sandcast casings, and so are the two

large reservoir capacitors, which themselves are

exotic types. Current and voltage gain stages,

and the phono stage are all provided with their

own independent supplies. The phono stage

power supplies can be turned off when not in

use to minimise their effect on the other

circuits. Low- loss, low- noise, high-speed

Schottky barrier diodes have been used for the

rectifier stage.

Switching relays and the control system as a

whole have been isolated from the transformer

windings. Careful positioning of ground points

is also said to have been part of the designers'

drive to minimise noise sources.

www.hifinews.co.i.k HI-FINews JUNE 2005 23

Arcam

Solo Arcam ups the ante with a one-stop single-box CD/receiver offering a winning mix of fine sound and flexibility. Ken Kessler, Paul Miller and Andrew Harrison investigate

Arcam Solo PRICE £1000

Before walking into the Arcam room at the January US Consumer Electronics Show, I had been primed to expect that

'something awesome awaited. This in itself

raised a smile as I have never heard the words

'Arcam' and awesome' in the same sentence,

but, hey, you never know. And Arcam did have something awesome on offer, precisely because it might wreak havoc in the budget sector.

Its direct rivals, though, are not the usual

suspects from the multi-national giants or in-house brands. Although Arcam has chosen to

enter the semi-obscure CD-receiver market with

the Solo, a sector virtually owned by Denon below

£500, it has opted for a £ 1000 price point. As

such, its only rival is Linn's Classik. The latter has

had this genre all to itself by virtue of being the

only speciality-brand offering of this type. The

Classik is more ambitious than Denon's delicious

'micro-system'-sized D- M31 and therefore more costly and with greater appeal to Linn wannabees and others too cool to cherish a bargain. Arcam

has upped the ante even further, though, with a

three- letter buzzword that will have salespersons rubbing their hands with glee: DAB.

Let's make one thing clear from the outset. As of

March 2005, when this is being written, I utterly

despise digital radio. It is one of the most grating, unpleasant noises-masquerading-as-music that

this industry has ever foisted on us. Thus, while I gave the DAB facility a try, it is not part of my

regime for this review, nor will I hold its awfulness

against the Solo. Its presence here serves only two functions: firstly, Arcam is committed to DAB and

secondly, there are people out there who think

DAB is the Next Big Thing. So, yes, the inclusion of DAB will sell a whole lot of these for Arcam.

As for the AM and FM sections, I am not a radio user either. If these portions of the Solo are key

right — clean, expensive, sensible, functional and

kinda sexy. I had it pegged at £ 1500 at least. And

Arcam has packed an impossible amount of kit into a slim container measuring only 430 x 80 x

350mm (whd). The chassis is all-metal, too, with

an aluminium lid, so there isn't even the slightest hint of cheapness about it until you get to the rather tacky, ill-fitting press buttons. But you can

always avoid them by sticking to the remote control, which is plastic but gorgeous.

A ' plain vanilla' description would be 'CD player plus AM/FM/DAB receiver', but that

wouldn't touch on the unit's flexibility. Among its features are a clock radio with four alarms that

My Immediate impression of the Solo was that of my jaw dropping to the floor.

It just looks so right parts of its appeal for you, please go straight to Andrew Harrison's comments [see 'And the

radio?' panel, p271. For me, this unit stands or falls on its CD player and its amplification. And

one neat little secret weapon on the front panel.

My immediate impression of the Solo was that of my jaw dropping to the floor. It just looks so

can wake you to CD or Radio, built-in multi-room facility in the form of a second room output with

an independent volume control, and — remarkably for such an affordable package — the sort of

custom installation-friendly facilities that you just don't expect in what is the 21st Century

equivalent of a ' music centre'.


Lab Test CD receiver

It's not just the second zone that makes the Solo

suitable as the core of an affordable multi-room

installation; it's the host of inputs and outputs.

Recall those dimensions again, and then picture it also offering a rear panel RS232 input for

control of all functions and software updates,

infrared input jacks for the main and second area

control, an infrared output jack to control other sources, a 12V trigger to turn on external amplifiers, and discrete IR codes for toggled

commands and more. A major part of the recipe is a very clever

remote and brilliant software, so all you see on

the front are six buttons on either side of the CD tray. Aside from an on/off button and two

front-panel sockets, the faceplate gives away

nothing of the unit's flexibility. Which is as it

should be. You can always search eBay for a Galactron if you're hungry for knobs and buttons.

As for the primary elements, the CD player is

based on Arcam's DiVA CD73 with low jitter

Colpitts crystal clock and 24-bit Wolfson DAC,

and it worked perfectly with every ' red book' CD I

fed it, including promotional CD-Rs and hybrid

SACDs. No, I didn't try a DualDisc, a format I have as much respect for as I do DAB. But I

suspect the Arcam will treat it like any other. As a pre-amp, the Solo has nothing to be

embarrassed about either, with line level inputs marked 'Game', 'TV' and 'AV in', plus tape input

and output, a Toslink digital optical output

(so you can record DAB broadcasts — ain't that

great?), the necessary aerial inputs, the

aforementioned custom installation connections

and a pair of really useful speaker binding posts

instead of the sort of press-press spring- loaded

crap usually reserved for all- in-one units. There's

also a pre-amplifier output so you can upgrade to beefier power amps. But the zinger is on the front

panel, next to the headphone socket. However small, however obvious, the front

panel 3.5mm socket marked ' in' tells you just how savvy Arcam has been with the Solo. While it begs to have the word ' iPod' or ' PlayStation'

written above it, that's not necessary: you know that's why it's there, and if people use Solos for

their home-listening-via-iPod instead of the

cruddy docking stations on offer, then that's a

score for sound quality.

Among the menus and functions accessed

via the remote handset are bass and treble

Fanless cooling system uses rear heatsink

www.hifinews.co.uk

Rear panel [above]

sports infrared input

jacks for main and

second area control,

plus pre-amp and

digital outputs;

button-packed remote [right] to control all

Solo functions

controls, adjustable speaker bass equalisation ' for the easy placement of smaller speakers', balance,

CD modes, eg, repeat, radio presets and more.

But it's one of the most instinctive set-ups I've

tried in years. You won't even need the owner's

manual until you go beyond mere listening.

As for the power amplifier section, the Solo carres a pair of amps rated at 50W RMS into

8 ohms. It's a real amp, with twin toroidal

transformers for its oversized power supply,

independent toroids for the microprocessor and

crude little two-ways. Instead, I used the PMC

DB1+ at circa £650 per pair and the £499

Rogers LS3a. And it handled them with glee. In

an act of cruel perversity, I also fed the Solo to Sonus Faber's Guarneri, which ate it up alive, full

volume barely flapping one's trousers. But there's

no doubt that this is a real, as opposed to ' wishful thinking' 50-watter, and you shouldn't insult it

with budget speakers. Nor did I use garbage wiring, instead opting for the excellent Atlas

Hyper cable at £ 15 per metre. (I also used a pair

It has been voiced in a clever way, providing both genuine competence and

inoffensiveness stardby mode, and nine independently regulated

power supplies. Let's start with the amp first. I reckon that, what with most retailers being lazy

sods after a quick sale, most Solosfri'l go out with

speakers beneath its capability, eg, ca-ca selling

for £ 199 per pair. But the sound is too good for

of Atlas' £60 Questor interconnects to link up the

Quad CDP99 and Musical Fidelity X-Ray V3 for

comparison purposes.) But back to the amp and provided you don't

ask too much of it, like driving Guarneris, the Solo shoe fill a normal room will delightful sound —

presupposing that you realise the Solo is not a

substitute for an 'eff-off' high-end system. It is ideal for students, for second systems as found in a kitchen, bedroom or study. Keep that in

mind and you'll be OK. I loved it with the Rogers, but I would implore you to try it with

the PMCs. Add in the Atlas speaker wire and

halfway decent stands, and you have a

heckuva system for under £2000.

Consistent from input to input was a rich

sound (I ran it with flat settings, of course), which found smoother than did AH, less

open and airy than I'd hoped but hardly


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A very transparent sound with good tonal balance and precise

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One of our best sellers, this turntable and arm combination

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£1697. Also on demonstration the exquisite Model 30/2A.

f McIntosh MA6goo solidstate integrated amplifier.

This solid state amplifier with transformer coupled output has

sound that is close to their classic valve ampli`ier designs. The

very reasonable zoo wpc output will drive into any speaker load.

An all- in-one solution with a high-end sound. £3895.

g Pathos Logos integrated hybrid amplifier.

A popular amplifier with great looks and sound. £2750. o

a Wadia 302 CD player.

One of the most musical players at this price. £ 3950.

b McIntosh 275 valve amplifier.

This modern reissue of their classic 1969 amplifier has robust, full bodied

sound with smooth high frequencies. A healthy 75wpc will drive most

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Lab Test CD receiver

And the radio?

Tested as just a two- channel amp, playing CDs from a

Meridian 808i, the Solo gave an entertaining, not to

say racy, performance. It proved quick and agile -

more than inspiring to set the feet tapping. Using the

Solo's own CD player just gave more of the same zest,

with the combination well matched for an edge- of-the-

seat ride. I was using Audiovector Mi 1 speakers -

coincidentally, the Danish brand being the maker of

the matching speakers that Arcam will sell for the

Solo - and musicaly it was a winning pairing.

Where the Solo lost points was in its tonal

smoothness, as the flipside of that sprightly, spirited

sound was an ocassional hint of coarseness,

betraying the unit's performance limits. But even fed

punishing bass- centric tones from Massive Attack's

Mezzanine, the Solo remained buoyant and practically

unfazed. DAB sound was underwhelming initially,

r

sounding sadly poorer than a kitchen radio but radio

performance - both DAB and FM - mysteriously

improved during the first few hours use until FM

became quite usable with just the supplied T- ribbon,

and DAB lost its initial squelches, evident even on

192kb/s Radio 3. After settling, radio sound was at a

level that would let you enjoy endless broadcasts,

although the usual aggravations apply to DAB,

meaning lo-fi music from anything other than BBC

Radio 3. For simple musical enjoyment, FM stereo,

even with some background hiss, was a far more

endurable proposition.

The Solo should be a winner. Its fresh sound

reminded me of the benefits of small-scale amps,

easily good enough for an audiophile's bedroom

system. In fact, its punchy, tuneful balance could

show up many a highly regarded but stolid sounding

set-up. And pre-amp and

digital outputs mean it's no

cul de sac should you want

to stretch its limits later on.

Andrew Harrison

what you could deem congested. It delivered

plenty of detail, so the Solo could handle subtle

recordings with the sort of grace you don't expect

from all- in-one units. I also fed the pre-amp

section to some outrageous power amps,

including the McIntosh MC275, and found the

character of the pre-amp to be consistent with the

power amp: robust, detailed and easy on the ears.

Clearly, someone at Arcam anticipates the Solo as

serving two roles — both as a primary system for

those with space or money constraints, or as a

secondary/background system in the kitchen or

bedroom — so it has been voiced in a clever way,

providing both genuine competence and

inoffensiveness. You can listen to this for hours,

without feeling fatigue. It's like a Tivoli radio with

bells and whistles. And that's a.Good Thing.

And the CD section? Probably the best part of

the equation. While it caused neither the Quad

nor Musical Fidelity players to quake in their

chassis, it certainly didn't seem like corners have

been cut. It exemplifies the sound of CD-only

players in the post-SACD era, competent, solid

and full-bodied, shorn of most digital artefacts

thanks to superior jitter busting. It has a more-ish

midband, sounding especially good with vocals.

There's ample warmth, enough 'snap' in the

transients to allay sensations of sluggishness,

and you'll probably never feel the need to mess

with the bass controls unless you hook it up to

some very tiny, nasal speakers.

I fed the Solo a wide array of material, from

Latin jazz on Chesky to Joss Stone's latest soul

exercise to Green Day's American Idiot. The Solo

never favoured one over the other, which is as it

should be. Somehow, Arcam found a perfect

middle ground, the kind of necessary

compromise — hey, we're talking all- in for £ 1000

without glaring economies — that you can easily

tolerate. To me, it looks like we've already found

the winning Budget Product of 2005.

But there's one other sound I associate with

the Arcam Solo. And that's the wailing and

gnashing of teeth in Glasgow. I think this thing is

gonna kick some serious Linn butt. • Ken Kessler

Supplier Arcam

01223 203200

www.arcam.co.uk

Hi-FiNews verdict Fabulous looks, a full-bodied sound and real

flexibility makes this a sure-fire winner. Listenable

DAB ( outputs allow recording of digital broadcasts)

and fine FM. Match it with the speakers it deserves.

Lab Report: Arcam Solo There's a mix of all Arcam's prime parts in the Solo,

all centred around a surprisingly powerful little

integrated amp. This amplifier section will sustain

60W/8ohm and 75W/4ohm, increasing to 78W and

128W under dynamic conditions, respectively, which

is more than sufficient for the small to medium-

sized systems the Solo will find itself in. The

amplifier is fairly transparent too, with a reasonably

constant 0.004-0.009% distortion in the midrange

across its rated 50W power bandwidth. The increase

in distortion at higher frequencies, in this case to

-0.05% at 20kHz, is not uncommon and is unlikely

to exert any great subjective penalty. Meanwhile, the

output impedance is usefully low at - 0.08 ohm over

much of the audio range while the 85dB A-wtd S/N

ratio ( re. 1W/8 ohm) is right on the money.

Measured via the Solo's pre-amp outputs, its CD

performance is rather better still. The wide 108dB

A-wtd S/N ratio and low 0.003% peak level

distortion, falling to 0.0006% at - 10dBFs are all

top class results. Jitter, too, is impressively low at

-120psec, but then the Solo uses the same Wolfson

WM8740 24-bit/192kHz DACs as Arcam's CD73

player. The CD mechanism is culled from the same

player while the analogue output stage is inspired by

Arcam's top-flight AV8 processor. Nevertheless,

distortion is rather higher at 0.03% (20kHz/OdBFs)

and the response more subtly ' shaped' with a very

o

0.5

0.0

-1.0

1.6

20 100 1k 10k 100k FREQUENCY » Hz

Fig 1: While the amplifier extends out to 100kHz

(blue trace), CD stops at 20kHz ( red) and DAB is

limited by data rate ( 128kb/s, dashed trace)

0

10

-20

,., - 30 A

2 -40 o P SO Cc 2 -60

a 70

80

90

100 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 31 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50

PP INPUT LEVEL » dEto

Fig 2: There's no grey area with DAB - when the

signal strength is sufficiently high it locks hard,

yielding a stereo signal at - 0.01% distortion.

gentle upper midrange/treble roll-off that glides away

to just - 1d13 at 20kHz [ see Fig 1].

Naturally, the Solo is equipped with an integrated

FM/DAB facility. This is a Radioscape DAB solution,

based on the TI chip where, ironically, a high bitrate

DAB broadcast has the potential of a wider response

and dynamic range than good old FM. Why? Because

(digitised) FM is routed via a 32kHz DAC which

limits its response to - 15kHz (- 1.5dB at 13kHz and

-10dB at 16kHz). Otherwise, decoded FM enjoys an

excellent > 100dB pilot and subcarrier rejection with

distortion that's as low as 0.05% with a 60dBpV RF

input. The 65dB stereo A-wtd S/N ratio is more than

good enough, but DAB beats it on both dynamic

range and muting sensitivity.

Just a puff of RF at - 30dBpV is sufficient to

deliver a low distortion (-0.01%) DAB broadcast into

your home via the Solo [ see Fig 2], but while the

sample-rate is a high 48kHz, the practical frequency

response of the broadcast will depend on the data

rate and complexity of the audio signal. Don't be

surprised if this drops away closer to 13kHz than the

possible 20-21kHz...

Paul Miller

QC Suite Test Reports covering the Solo's amplifier,

CD, FM and DAB radio performance are now

available from wwmilleraudioresearch.com/avtech

www.hifinews.co.i] k Hi-FiNews JUNE 2005 27

Origin Live

Resolution/ Encounter

When spending three grand on a deck there's no shortage of top-flight turntables to choose from. Has this Origin Live combination the calibre to compete?

Origin Live Resolution/Encounter PRICE £1979/£970

Origin Live is best known in the UK for its power supply and Rega toneann upgrades.

Overseas the story is very different, the company being seen as one of the premier UK

turntable and arm manufacturers alongside Roksan, J A Michell Engineering and Nottingham

Analogue Studio. Intrigued to see if all the

excitement overseas was justified I decided to

take a look at one of Origin Lives higher-end

Fidelity A5 pre-amps; Bryston 14B-SST, 3B-SST

and Musical Fidelity A5 power amps; with Martin Logan SL-3, Leema Acoustics Xavier and PMC GB1 loudspeakers. Cabling was all Townshend

Audio lsolda DCT for both interconnects and bi-

wire speaker cables, while all mains cabling was lsotek Elite, with mains power being supplied via

an lsotek Titan for the power amps and Orion for front-end components.

Once playing it became obvious that some fine tuning of the deck was required to achieve the

very best performance. Like the Nottingham

This duo went from a gentle whisper to a room-shaking crescendo within the space

of one note, and without hesitation

offerings, in the form of the Resolution turntable

and Encounter tonearm.

It took less than an hour to unpack the deck

and set it up for use thanks to all the necessary

tools being supplied, together with a good stylus alignment gauge and an Ortofon stylus pressure

gauge. It was used with both Benz Micro Glider L2 and Lyra Argo cartridges, with the rest of the

system being made up of my Klyne System7 PX 3.5 phono stage; Krell KRC-3 and Musical

Analogue Innerspace SE this deck proved highly

responsive to its support, with the ERA platform

pushing forward the midrange, enhancing vocal

intelligibility and aiding in the separation of instruments in the mix, while the RDC Super

Position ' T' platform gave improvements in the

imaging and transient speed. Subtle movements

of the motor to and from the main bearing, increasing and decreasing the tension of the flat

belt on the sub-platter seemed to have an

uncharacteristically large effect on the ability of this deck to portray transients and the decay of notes realistically, with the optimal setting being achieved when the elasticity of the belt was just

below the point where it can move the motor unit. As someone who has used a Graham arm for

the last six years I found that the lack of gauges

for for anti-skate and downforce adjustment made set-up more difficult, while arm height

adjustment (VTA) unfortunately allows the arm

pillar to drop when you unscrew the set screw. This means you have to hold the arm while

unscrewing the set screw, then adjust the arm pillar before tightening the arm again. This lack of

fine control was further accentuated by the transparency of this turntable/arm combination,

making subtle adjustments in tracking weight, anti-skate and VTA very easy to discern.

The first thing that you notice about this turntable and arm combination is its ability to

deliver a seemingly vast dynamic range. Regardless of cartridge, this duo went from a

gentle whisper to a room-shaking crescendo

within the space of one note and without hesitation, and drove home in a commanding

manner just what a vast difference in sonic power there is between these two extremes. However,

the Resolution/Encounter combination was more than just a muscle-bound hulk, whether the

musical choice be MariIlion's The Uninvited

28 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNews vvww hifinews.co.uk

Auditions turntable/arm

The deck in detail

The turntable comprises the plinth, exquisitely

finished in piano black, a steel subchassis, the

sub- platter, stand-alone motor unit with outboard

controller, and platter. While this is a sprung

design it is best described as quasi-suspended;

the steel sub-chassis sits on two pins that engage

in holes on the plinth, with just one spring and

height adjuster on the third leg ( visible to the right

of the sub- platter in our pictures).

The motor unit sits in a hole in the chassis, as

with the Nottingham Analogue Innerspace SE

[HFN April '05], with an outboard speed control

unit which is in turn connected by a flying lead to

a wall-wart 9V power supply. The spindle carrying

the sub- platter is located in the oil-filled bearing

well and the acrylic platter sits on the sub- platter.

Measuring 490 x 160 x 400mm (whd) and

weighing just 9kg, the turntable can hardly be

described as a high-mass design, but once

assembled it feels very solid and proved to be

highly stable during use

The Encounter tonearm immediately strikes you

with its Herculean gimbal bearing assembly, to

which is attached a tapered arm tube

manufactured from aircraft aluminium alloy. The

sleeve is designed to decouple the tube from the

gimbal mount while the headshell is bolted to the

tube, again to decouple the headshell from the

arm tube. The counterweight is secured via a set

screw, while anti- skate is dealt with by a

traditional weight-and-thread system.

The arm height is designed to be infinitely

adjustable, with a set screw pushing on a sleeve

in the arm mounting board. As the screw is

tightened it pushes on the steel sleeve clamping

the 2rm in place.

Guest' from Season's End [EMI EMD 1011] or

the Joe Morello drum solo in 'Take Five' from the

Dave Brubeck Quartet's Time Out [Classic

Records CS 8192]. This deck proved highly adept

at reproducing the nuances and micro-dynamic

shifts that separate a great musician from a

merely competent one, allowing the personality of

the individual player to make itself known as it

would in a live performance. This combination of

macro- and micro-dynamic excellence made

listening to the Resolution a truly visceral and

captivating experience, and should give any

listener a tool to rediscover their music

collection's true range — and the talent of be

musicians captured within.

The lower registers proved to be powerful and

detailed, bass being delivered with a rich, full

sound that underpinned 'Cold, Cold Heart' from

Norah Jones's Come Away With Me [Classic

Records JP5004] exactly as it should be, e while still retaining the dexterity to allow

the structure of each note to be clearly

heard, such as the resonance of the vibrating

Main platter removed

to reveal sub-platter,

sub-chassis and free-

standing motor

string and the tone of the wooden body of the

instrument. In this respect it was bettered only by

decks like my reference Basis Gold Debut, the

Oracle Delphi Mk V [HFNJuly '04] and, of course,

the Blue Pear JEM [HEN May '04]. Further up

into the midrange, this deck was transparent and

effodless, avoiding an unduly pushed forward

voice was delivered with a velvet richness that you

simply wanted to sink into. High-frequencies

displayed a slight lack of air in absolute terms

giving high treble a slight veil, yet even in this

respect the deck proved still capable of showing

subtleties in the playing of cymbals, even if they

lacked just a little shimmer and extension as

when heard on the very best decks available.

Soundstaging was, again, very good, with a

large, solid stage being portrayed laterally,

extending to beyond the outer edges of the

speaker and positioning musicians and sounds

just beyond the room boundaries. While this deck

lost a little focus at the stage edges, the images

between the speakers were tightly focused and

solidly located on the stage. The stage depth was

good, though a little curtailed from the best, with

lead vocalists being located half a metre in front

of the plane of the speakers with the back of the

stage extending to a position just beyond the rear

wall. The delineation of musicians in the depth

plane was good, if just a touch vague, but it still

gave enough information to allow me to mentally

form a solid image of the musicians locations and

their spatial relationships to each other.

If there's a caveat it's that the wall-wart power

supply transformer is electrically rather noisy and

throws a large magnetic field. This means that

careful cable dressing is needed to ensure that

unshielded signal cables are kept well away from

this wall plug, especially given that the cable

supplied with the arm seems very sensitive to

exterior influences.

Overall this deck proved to be a stable,

confident and dependable combination, which

once set up needed no further adjustment other

than tweaks to the VTA to optimise it for different

vinyl thickness. At its price point it delivers very

good value for money, with truly excellent

dynamics, and turns in a very good performance

The lower registers proved to be powerful and detailed, bass being delivered with a rich, full sound if

midrange, with both male and female vocal

performances being allowed to speak for

themselves without the turntable showing undue

favour,tism or editorialising of the performance.

Only a hint of extra warmth in the

lower midrange was present to

betray this performance as

anything other than reference

class. Norah Jones's

across the entire frequency range, with only a

slight lower midrange emphasis detracting from

reference- level neutrality. If you are shopping for

a new turntable/arm combination at this price I

feel an audition of this partnership is most

strongly recommended. al

David Allcock

Supplier Origin Live

02380 578877

www.originlive.com

HI-FiNews verdict

While treble lacked some air in absolute terms, vast

dynamics, expansive soundstaging, a transparent

midrange and the ability to sound subtle when

appropriate makes this combination one to hear.


Rogers LS3a

Rogers LS3a PRICE £499/pair

Certain visitors to the Rogers room at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show in Las

Vegas in January may be forgiven for

their unavoidable double-takes. Just as it's

impossible to proof-read your own writing because

you'll subconsciously insert the odd missing letter, so did Rogers bank on a similar effect with

this little bombshell: the new LS3a. Yup, there's a '/' and a 5' missing, but it stopped me and

every other LS3/5a fetishist dead in our tracks. Then I noticed the driver complement, the rear

port, the flush baffle, the conventional grille

material, the minuscule increase in dimensions. I

looked at the show card again. Caught it the

second time, ' LS3a', and emphatically not

LS3/5a. But that Rogers badge and the truncated name certainly call to mind a deceased classic,

and not subliminally. So what is Rogers up to with this wannabe? Is this their attempt at doing for

the LS3/5a what BMW did for the Mini? Yank it into the 21st Century and make a mint at it?

Move ahead a few weeks. Back in the UK, I run into John Bell. John, a mover-and-shaker in the

used hi-fi underground, also happens to be one of

the two or three most knowledgeable and fervent

of LS3/5a supporters. He also has some history with Rogers, he's a buddy of LS3/5a maven Andy

Whittle [ now MD of Exposure] a pragmatist. When

John asked if I would be interested in looking at

the LS3a, I said bluntly, ' Is it any good?' John was non-committal, only telling me, ' Try it.'

I'm always miffed by charlatanism, and I loathe

the exploitation of my beloved LS3/5a with bogus surrogates — even if it's just via misleading

nomenclature. John, too, has seen it all LS3/5a-

What's this? Just another LS3/5a clone, or does this cute modern compact have the magic of the original classic?

So what is Rogers up to with this wannabe? Is this their attempt to do for the LS3/5A what BMW did for the Mini?

wise, and is as passionate as any about its revival.

Sadly, Rogers isn't the only maker of post-

modernist LS3/5a clonettes guilty of this wheeze.

Some might see ' creative badging' as cute or canny; I don't. This speaker would have to stand

or fall on its merits, as I quickly ruled out any

DNA link to the LS3/5a. £499-per- pair small two-ways are plentiful, and generally of decent

performance if of serious manufacture. It had its work cut out for it, even without the baggage

imposed on it by some cynical marketing hack.

With the speakers sited on top of IF stands, I

compared them to Rogers 15 ohm LS3/5a and

PMC DB1+, the latter costing over £ 100 more per pair. Note that a good pair of LS3/5a speakers will

set you back £500-£600, or up to a grand for

'preferred' models such as Chartwells, so the comparisons don't favour the LS3a. Neither,

though, are they outrageously unfair due to price. Hand on heart: I wanted to dislike these from

the moment I saw them. OK, OK, so it's unhealthy for an old fart to get emotional about inanimate

objects, but that's the way I am. And I have too much emotion invested in the LS3/5a to stand by

while one of its previous licensees plays mind games with the heritage. Audio is so shamelessly

guilty of exploiting past glories with present

defecation that someone has to say, ' Stop!' Only

this time, I have to say, ' Not bad. Not bad at all.'

It's an impressive little spud, the LS3a,

well-made, pleasingly finished and so easy to

drive that retailers will love it. In fact, everything

about this speaker is easy, including set-up and

positioning. They liked a bit of toe- in, which acts like a dial- in control for increasing or decreasing

stage depth proportional to stage width. If you like a panoramic soundstage but aren't a fetishist

about depth, fire them straight ahead. If you prefer more front-to- back, '3D-ness', and don't mind a reduction in absolute stage width, toe

them in. Simple — and a matter of taste, though a


Auditions loudspeaker

Rear shows bass port and bi-wireable terminals

hard-nosed purist would prefer to drive him- or herself crazy tweaking it to the millimetre.

As for stands, and the LS3a needs the sheer

rigidity and neutrality of something like the IFs. I used a tiny amount of Blu-Tack in-between

speaker and top-plate, and connected them to assorted amplifiers with Transparent cables.

Sources included the Musical Fidelity X-Ray v3 and Quad 99CDP CD players, and the SME 30

turntable with SME Series V arm. Transfiguration Temper V cartridge and EAR 834P phono stage.

Because this pair was brand new, I ran them non-stop on repeat for 96 hours before sitting down for close listening. Periodically checking in

on progress showed that they benefited from

some burn-in, sounding less constrained and more 'dynamic' after the first 50 hours.

After double that, they were even more fluid and better able to handle hot transients. There is

Rog!rs BRITISH HIGH. FIDELITY

LS3a LOUDSPEAKER a pay-off for this attention, despite the sheer simplicity of positioning and system matching.

Once run-in and matched to a sympathetic amp,

the LS3a turns out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. While initial impressions hinted at less

finesse than some might prefer — a trace of

edginess with massed strings, mild 'shouty-ness'

to close-mic'd vocals — this never proved to be an issue save for solo playback of particularly fragile instruments like flute, or recordings with innate

sibilance. If you love to wallow in 1970s West Coast rock, avoid these unless you happen to be driving them with a single-ended triode and an Ortofon MC from the Macmillan era.

But they can deliver the goods most of the time. Keb' Mo's Peace... Back By Popular

Demand is one of the finest-sounding CDs I've

1111

Boxing clever? In

the 1970s, Rogers

was first of several

firms to market the

BBC LS3/5A design (as the LS3/5a) to home users. But

the new LS3a is built in Germany for

the Hong Kong-

based company

that now owns Rogers International

format. When heard through a thoroughbred

system (think WATT Puppy and huge tube amps), the effect is breathtaking.

Astonishingly, the LS3a was able to reproduce most of the scale, the weight of the bass and percussion (this CD excels in the lower registers!),

and a convincing spread of instruments with a precise matching of the locations as presented by

the WATT Puppy set-up. OK, so scale was marginally reduced, but it remained impressive.

As for the vocal textures, the small Rogers delivered all but the throatiest parts, not quite turning Keb' Mo' into a castrato, but missing a

trace of warmth. The lack of absolute refinement was evident in the way that Dobro sounds should

have a truly metallic rattle to them. With the

LS3a, the effect was artificial because of slight

Once run-in and matched to a sympathetic amp, the Rogers LS3a turns

out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing ever heard, with vast dynamic range, exceptional lower octaves, and above all, Keb' Mo's voice and slide guitar work. The former is textured and rich, with lots of character to reproduce for true

authenticity, while the latter is both liquid and twangy. Better still, this CD possesses scale that

you would never expect from a much-derided

To Be, Or Not To Be... an LS3/5a

Hardly. Here you have a

German-made speaker that's

marginally la -ger — mainly in

its depth — than an LS3/5a:

302 x 197 x 194mm (hwd) vs 298 x 190 x 160mm. Around the back are gilded multi-way

terminals for bi-wiring and a

small port; at the front, a lin

soft-dome tweeter above a 5in woofer, material unspecified.

Because it's a more modern

design, this speaker worked

like a dream with medium

power. I'm sticking my neck out

here, but I'll wager that it sings

with the revived Rogers E-20a

and E-40a valve amps. Rogers

specifies 30W-60W amps, but

this is conservative, as I

hammered them with 100W of

Mac power from the McIntosh

2102, with nary a splinter nor shard parting from the carcass.

John Be I rushed over with the first pair to arrive in the UK

— printed details were minimal, but there is a product sheet

claiming that frequency response is a nicely flat, 60-

22kHz. Sensitivity is low-to-

mid by today's standards at 88d13/1W/1m, but impedance is

an easy 8 ohms, with a peak of 35 ohms a 2kHz and a low of 6

ohms in the upper mid-band.

And nobody wculd mistake that description for an LS3/5a.

exaggeration in the treble. (Which is what you

need to get rid with 300Bs of if you have the complete Linda Ronstadt, Eagles and Jackson

Browne in your 'most played' cabinet.) Confession time: if this speaker had arrived

sans the cod-BBC pretence, I would be telling you

that it fits nicely between the bargain-basement Wharfedale Diamond and the more robust PMC

DB1+. So stop reading right here and give them a listen if you're shopping in the sub-£500. But if

you despise the loathsome spin of an Alastair

Campbell, historical revisionism and marketing

bollocks, shake your fist and curse Rogers under

your breath. Then go give them a listen. Like I

said, ' Not bad. Not bad at all.' II Ken Kessler

Supplier

Royal Hi-Fi

01276 489939

e-mail: [email protected]

FIFFINews verdict

While lacking a little finesse in absolute terms,

this £499 speaker certainly delivers the goods,

boasting impressive bass, scale and imaging. Match with a medium-powered amp and enjoy.

1-11-F1News JUNE 2005 31

Noe Tjoeb 4000

Texture, great timing, smooth but never soft... if you find digital sources a little tough on the ear at the top end then this CD player could be for you. And it's user-upgradeable too

Njoe Tjoeb 4000 Super/Reference PRICE £529/£899

Being a huge fan of analogue reproduction and valve amps and discovering that Icon

Audio, the supplier of the Stereo 40 amp

used for most of this review, also imports the Ah!

Njoe Tjoeb (pronounced 'Aha, New Tube') 4000

series of CD players, I was pleased to be asked to take a listen to two from the range. Ah! is based in Holland and is owned by Herman van den Dungen, who also produces the Prima Luna amplifiers, reviewed in these pages by KK.

All Njoe Tjoeb 4000 players begir life as a Marantz 4000 CD player, before the output stage

is removed and a valve one substituted. In the

process the clock is replaced with a low-jitter unit called a 'Supercrystal'. A larger replacement

extra money buying better feet in the form of

Tjoeb Shoes (felt- based isolation feet), an

improved mains cable, damping rings for the

valves, and a device called 'de Mat'. This is a black rubber mat with a lip around its outer edge

on one side, which is placed over the label side of

a CD before putting it into the machine. Its effect? The soundstage became bigger, bass weight improved and the whole presentation took

on a stronger, more definite feel. For the purposes

of this review, all discs were played with de Mat in place. ( It's available from Icon Audio as a

separate accessory for £ 13.95 and works in all Sony and Philips transports, but not in TEAC,

Pioneer or DVD drives.)

The third model in the series is the Ultra Njoe

Tjoeb 4000. This costs £699 and brings improvements in the op-amps ( Burr- Brown OPA

The attack of trumpets had bite and shape and cymbals arrived with a crash of tuned metal rather than a clatter of tip,

toroidal transformer is fitted to power all sections apart from the valve stage, which has its own

dedicated toroidal transformer. An AC Noise Killer is f tted to the power supply, voltage gain is

handled by dual-mono Burr- Brown OPA604 op-

amps and the DAC is a Philips TDA1546 chip. There are four models in the range, with the

most affordable — the basic Njoe Tjoeb 4000 —

costing £429. The Super Njoe Tjoeb 4000

model, under consideration here, costs £529, the

627), plus Siemens E288CC valves. At the top of

the range is the Reference Njoe Tjoeb 4000, retailing at £899. This boasts a 24-bit/192kHz

upsampler in place of the Philips and Burr-Brown

components using an Analog Devices AD1895

24-bit asynchronou sample rate converter and a

Wolfson Microelectronics WM8740 DAC chip,

engineered by Anagram Technologies.

All the units measure 440 x 87 x 280mm

(whd) and weigh 5kg. The remote control handset

is the standard Marantz unit with a Njoe Tjoeb

logo added and offers all the usual functions

including a volume control.

Most CD players arrive in a plug- in-and-play

condition. The Njoe Tjoeb 4000 range is linusual in that the players require a little assembly. In the

case of the Super version the Tjoeb feet reed to be installed, which requires the machine to be

inverted, the standard Marantz feet to be unscrewed using the supplied To,x 10

screwdriver, and the new items inserted. The

valves and the Marantz CD clamp may also need putting in place. Detailed instructions are supplied for all these tasks.

Having sorted all this out I settled back to

listen. My first reaction was slight disappointment

at what was a relatively sharp, almost aggressive top end. This began to smooth out to tolerable

levels within half an hour, settling down over the

next three weeks. In fact, the player became one of the most engaging digital sources I have used.

I had the opportunity to try the player in both

Super and Reference forms; taking the former

first I liked the down to earth approach to the

sound. This had a pleasantly textured feel and

excellent timing. Imaging was surprisingly good

for a player at this price point, with music having

a multilayered presentatior which, particularly with classical, allowed me to concentrate on either one instrument in particular o, sit back and

appreciate the sound as a whole. I found the

smoothness eliminated the listener fatigue that I usually find to be the result of a few hours with a

digital source, but it also avoided the mistake of

softening the sound to get this effect. The attack of trumpets had bite and shape, cymbals arrived

32 JUNE 2005 1-11-FiNews www.hifinews.co.uk

Auditions' r

A valve output

stage [ below] is

just one of the

Ah! tweaks

With a Njoe

Tjoeb badge on

the front [ right],

the rear panel

still carries the

Marantz name

with a crash of tuned metal rather

than a clatter of tin, and left with a detail to the

decay that I would normally expect to hear from

players costing considerably more.

The downside was the bass, which was fast and

detailed, but ultimately lacked just a little weight,

leaving me with the sensation that I wanted the

microphone moved just a couple of inches closer

to the drums and bass instruments.

Upgrading to the Reference model, by

installing the TjoUpsampler, proved fairly

straightforward and again the instructions are

detailed and easy to follow. Once more, there was

a long running- in period with the new chips and

also the Siemens valves, which on this model

replace the military specification Philips units.

The most obvious change to the presentation

was in the size and shape of the soundstage,

which expanded both to the left and right by a

moderate amount, but the front-to-back

dimension increased considerably, projecting

vocalists and instrumental soloists forward of he

speakers and into the room. The improvements in

imaging and space around the performers were

accompanied by a greater impression of the

individuaJ tonal characterist:cs of each

;nstrument. Listening to I Musici playing the

Pachelbel Canon and Gigue [Philips 442 396-21.

light bass require modification here, the

upsampled sound having more weight and dimension, as well as a greater sense of speed in

its arrival and departure. It still wasn't earthquake

inducing, but now kick drums came with a

satisfying thud, rather than a heavy tap.

I won't claim that this is an analogue-sounding

CD player; rather it is a machine went a long way

It goes a long way to redressing the top end deficiencies that usually accompany

affordable digital reproduction I could easily discern the various tonal qualities of

each violin, rather than being presented with a

more blended sound.

Timing improvements seemed to add a little

more vibrancy to the playing of music, and

actually created enough rhythmic energy that tne

sounds flowed in a lucid manner — the kind I

would normally associate with an analogue

source. My previous comments about the slightly

Maths and musical tones

According to Marcel Croese, head of the Ah!

design team in Holland responsible for the

player: the upsampler [ pictured below] takes its

input signal directly from the data stream that

comes from the transport. The signal is taken

apart by the Sample Rate Conversion chip, and

then mathematically recalculated and

reconstructed into 24- bit, at a

sampling rate of 192kHz.

The mathematical process

takes approximations of the

added samples that are carried

out according to algorithms that

mimic the behaviour of musical

tones, and are then extrapolated

and interpolated into new samples according to

how the music would behave. The high sample

frequency 192kHz shifts any high frequency

problems (noise and abasing) to above 96k -Iz as

opposed to the 22.05kHz in 44.1khz systems, so

high frequency filtering can be carried out a lot

snoather and at almost four times higher corner

frequency. Once in 192/24, the digital signal goes

to a higti quality double balanced IVA converter

chip. whici is surrounded by an extremely

\‘. lcw noise power supply for maximum

resolution and sound quality. Its _

balanced output signal is converted

to single-ended by a proprietary

designed audio transformer.'

to redressing the top end and imaging

deficiencies that I find usually accompany

affordable digital reproduction. In Super or Ultra

form I found it to be a hugely enjoyable performer,

to the extent that I put off installing the

upsampler simply because it was already so easy

and approachable to live with. Having done the

upgrade, I felt the extra cost to be more than

worth it for the increase in performance.

I urge anyone in the market for a CD player

costing up to at least £ 1500 to put the Njoe

Tjoeb 4000, with the TjoUpsampler fitted, onto

the 'r auditions shortlist. I think you wilt be very

pleasantly surprised.

Tony Bolton

Supplier Icon Audio

0-'787 158791

www.iconaudio.co.uk

FIFFINews verdict

Treble may take a while to settle down, but the

wait pays off in a smooth and ultra ear-friendly sound

w.th no lack of bite or texture. Great imaging and timing too. rnstalling upsampler is money well spent.

Hi-Fil\l(w, JUNE 2005 33

Musical Fidelity

/15cR pre/power

Musical Fidelity A5" pre/power PRICE £1495/£1495

0 ver the last few years I've tried pre/power combinatiors from Musical Fidelity's

A3.2 and A308 series, and have used an

A308 integrated extensively in my system.

Confronted with the tough job of phasing out both

these ranges, the company decided to replace

them simultaneously with a single range that

would ernbocy the best of both. The result is the

new A5 series, here in its pre/power incarnation.

Build quality of these items is excellent,

certairly comparable with much of the more

highly priced imported equipment you often see

in these pages. The black handles on either side

of the fascia suggest b g US-imported exotica,

while the chamfering of the top and bottom of the

front panel removes some of the imposing

heaviness. cf the large, flat A308 panels. Overall

the cosmetic alterations are an improvement over

both the A3.2 and 308 products.

Starting with the pre-amp, lift it out of its box and

you may think you've taken delivery of the

integrated amp by mistake. After all, it measures

440 x 125 x 397mm (whd) and weighs in at a

shade over 13kg. This weight is accounted for not

only by the solid chassis, but its true dual-mono

nature, which includes choke regulation in its

power supplies. This configuration requires not

only a large toroid with dual secondary windings,

right, ' Power', 'Tape Monitor', ' Phono', 'CD',

'SACO', 'Tuner', ' HT Direct' and 'Tape'. The HT

Direct input allows a stereo system using this

pre-amp to be integrated with a ' home theater'

system, by passing signals ( namely, the front

left/right channels of a surround-sound mix)

directly to the stereo system's amp and speakers.

For the vast majority of us, the ideal of having

separate systems and even a separate room for

Ill was simply stunned by the separation and imaging that the A5cR power

amplifier was capable of

but also dual chokes large enough to cope with

the power requirements of the design.

The front panel is of brushed aluminium with

the large machined volume knob sitting central,

dominating the front panel. Beneath this knob is

a row of push-button controls for, from left to

stereo and home cinema is a dream, and this

pass-through will aid the real-world integration of

a high-quality stereo system with a home cinema.

The back panel, from left to right, features the

right channel output, an m-m/m-c selection

switch for the ' Phono' input, ' CD', 'SACO' and

34 JUNE 2035 HI-FINews www.hifinews.co.uk

Auditions amplifier

It's not just value for money that's the big

attraction here, but a sound that's accurate, fast and yet easy on the ear. Yes, it's MF's latest pre/power combination

'Tuner' line- in, ' HT direct' and tape inputs, with tape outputs, the left output and an IEC power input completing the line up. All connections are

single ended. Spacing is generous enough to

allow even Herculean RCA connectors to be accommodated without difficulty.

The power amp is a similar size to the pre-amp, measuring 440 x 125 x 400mm and weighing 19kg. On the front are just two buttons: one to

turn the unit on, the second to select inputs A or B. To the rear are two pairs of binding posts for

each channel, allowing easy bi-wiring; plus line-

level connectors, a pair of line outputs to permit

bi-amping by daisy-chaining amplifiers together, two pairs of single-ended RCA inputs, and an IEC power inlet. Why two pairs of inputs? This

permits, for example, the direct connection of both a digital source having its own volume

control and a standard pre-amp; or a home

cinema processor plus a stereo pre-amp. This

flexibility aids integration into our increasingly

sophisticated AN systems, and is a welcome addition here (though I would still like to see

balanced inputs on these products). Internally a large, centrally mounted toroid with dual

secondary windings feeds large dual chokes either

side. Each of the dual-mono circuit boards sees eight Sanken SAP15 Darlington power transistors

bolted down each side to large heatsinks. Despite specs that suggest the power amp can only output

the same power as the A5 integrated amp [HFN

Jan '05], the power amp is advertised as capable of more than double that amp's current delivery.

I tried the A5" pre/power amplifiers both individually and combined in my reference

system, comprising Krell KRC-3 pre-amp, Bryston

3B-SST and 14B-SST power amps, Basis Gold

Debut/Graham 2.0/Lyra Argo turntable feeding a Klyne System 7 PX 3.5 phono stage. A Shanling

SCD-T200 SACD player and Musical Fidelity's own X-Ray V3 represented digital sources, while

standalone DACs included the MF Tri-Vista 21 and Perpetual Technologies P-1A/P-3A Signature

with Monolithic PSU. Speakers included Martin

Logan SL-3, PMC GB- 1, Leema Acoustics Xavier

Large weighted knob to swing the volume

vocalists, be they male or female, into the room

realistically and giving the listener a more direct, unimpeded connection to the performance. Whether it was the sultry tones of Norah Jones's

'Turn Me On' from Come Away With Me [Classic Records JP 5004] or the raw power of Glen Frey

performing ' New York Minute' from The Eagles' Hell Freezes Over [Simply Vinyl SVLP 050], I

found listening to just one track almost

impossible, losing hours during the reviewing process as I sat there just listening.

As for the high frequencies, these are

outstanding. Period. Not only are they extended

and open, they lack the aggression and grain that leads to listener fatigue, without subtracting

transient attack, making them highly resolving

and crystalline when it comes to the formation of notes. For example, the tambourine on ' If I Ever

Lose My Faith In You' from Ten Summoner's Tales

and Rocket Onyx RSC-550. Two wiring looms were employed, one of Chord Company Signature

interconnects with Odyssey 4 speaker cables, the

other using Townshend Audio lsolda DCT interconnects and speaker cables. All power cables were IsoTek Elite with IsoTek Titan and

IsoTek Orion mains filters.

I began with the power amp, and was

immediately stunned by the separation and

imaging this design was capable of. Regardless of speaker used, the A5" threw a truly huge image across the lower third of the listening room. It was

also capable of conjuring images far beyond the outer edges of the speakers and through the side

walls of the room. As for stage depth, this regularly extended through the wall behind the speakers, ending somewhere in the garden!

However, this is not a case of stage size being

sacrificed for focus, as the A5" proved capable of populating this stage with truly three-dimensional

images, no matter where they were located. The layering of the images was also excellent, with the

put you off as things improve dramatically after

some running- in. Likewise, there is a slight

forwardness that starts in the upper midrange and extends all the way up through the high

frequencies, but give this amp more time and it

achieves its full potential.

Once run-in is complete you will hear bass that

is quite different from that of the A308, as excellent as this may be. The A5' leans more

towards the sound of the A3.2 in terms of accuracy and speed yet has a more commanding

grip over the speaker drivers, delivering bass that is not only more powerful and more extended than

that from the 3.2, but more accurate, faster and with greater impact on the transient. Greater grip

stops the note as quickly as it starts without over-damping natural acoustic decay.

Likewise, the midrange has benefited from the sonic overhaul of this range, taking on not only greater transparency, but greater delicacy and

dexterity, allowing subtleties of intonation and timing to be easily heard and so bringing

'Mere was a gossamer delicacy to female vocals without any of the weight in the lower reaches of the voice being lost IF

listener being shown the relationships between performers in the depth plane with as much

accuracy and focus as on the horizontal plane.

The number of cost- no-object amplifiers I've

heard that can do this I can count on the fingers of both hands, so for a design at this price point

to achieve it is outstanding. This wasn't just a

trick it pulled off with simple, natural acoustic recordings; heavily produced pop material such as

The Corrs' In Blue [Atlantic 7567833522] or

Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales [A&M 540 997 21

were also given this treatment, even though you know that the huge acoustics are artificially

created by engineering at the studio mixing desk. But this does make such recordings very

listenable, the A5" ensuring that your entire collection is both accessible and enjoyable.

You will notice during the first 50 hours of use that this amp is a little bass shy, but don't let this

O,11111111111111,11111 N11111111111111111

www.hifinews.co. u k JUNE 2005 35

Auditions dmp;ifier

0.0 0 0. 0 0, 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 •

e »MO

Well-spaced socketry

allows generously-

terminated

interconnects to he

used. Note the two

sets of inputs for the

A5' power amp,

allowing switching

between, for

example, an

analogue pre-amp

and digital product

with volume control

Faux lab hanqles lend an air of quality

has the tone ard shimmer of steel on steel

withoJt overtly drawing attention to itself.

With the A5" power amp being such an

outstanding performer, the pre-amp had to be

something special if it was to prove a worthy

match. Just a few minutes of play quickly told me

that it was quite capable of holding its own I first tried the ore-amp with the Bryston

3B-SST cower amp, a design known to sound a

little better ir balanced mode than the single-

ended configuration used here. Nonetheless, this

did not prevent the A5' showing what it could do

in comparison with my Krell KRC-3 pre-amp,

which so'd for over twice the price of the A5" in

1997. The , nternal phono stage was more than

capable of handling the Lyra Argo and Benz Glider

L2 m-c cartridges. While this phono stage is not

going to have heavyweight stages from Klyne, Ayre

or Trichord running for cover, it is very close to

ME's own X- LP V3, with the stand-alone stage

bringing a little more space to the soundstage and

having a slightly more open top end. But this is

much more than just a token phono stage; it's a

good design and one that many listeners will be

more than happy with.

The line stage is even better. Like the power

amp its bass is incredibly fast and detailed, if a

toJch leaner thar that of the KRC-3. The result

was that bass notes had a little less impact and

kick drums a little less weight, but each note

possessed more texture than when heard through

the Krell, sounding faster and benefiting from

even greater control without sounding over-

clamped or losing ambient information. Midrange

was equally detailed and textured: there was a

frequencies being neither unduly emphasised nor

pushed forward in the mix. Acoustic guitar

radiated an energy from a single point source

complete with harmonics extending up into the

higher frequencies and the body of the instrument

being clearly discerned in the lower frequencies.

Imaging stunned, the acoustic guitar from Dido's

'Sand In My Shoes' being located far beyond the

walls behind the speakers and through the left-

hand wall of my listening room while Dido herself

appeared to stand at least a metre in front of the

speakers, whether it was the SL-3 or Xavier. And

yet the space between the performers seemed

neither unnatural nor unfocused; instead clear

space was present between components in the

mix, which were solidly rooted on the soundstage

and presented with believable dimensions. This

was unaffected by either volume or complexity of

the mix, with individual instruments proving easy

to follow during even the busiest of tracks.

As you may have figured, the combination of these two amps gave a sonically astounding

performance, a credit to components at any price,

let alone components costing just pounds under

£1500 a piece. They boast an incredibly spacious

soundstage, exceptional transparency through the

midrange and high frequencies, not to mention a

precise presentation more than capable of telling

you when you were listening to a truly outstanding

In terms of balance these are the best amps I've heard from MF; they throw down a gauntlet to the competition rt

gossamer delicacy to female vocals without any of

the foundation and weignt in the lower reaches of

the voice being lost, giving Norah Jones a lush

richness without adding that cloying euphonic

coloration in the lower midrange that many

components mistake for fullness. Indeed, the

midrange offered a stunning combination of

delicacy, speed, transparency and power.

In the upper frequencies the A5" was

unashamedly better than my Krell, with cymbals

berig captured with greater resolution while

simultaneously demonstrating a smooth delivery, sh ,rrmering without harshness, with these

Ripples and choke regulation

The entire A5 series features

choke regulation in trie power

supply. This was fist applied

at this price point by Musical

Fidelity in the A3.2 pre/power

combination. Before then it

was used extensively in valve

amplifier designs and

big-ticket solid-state designs,

such as the four- box Cello

Performance monoblocks.

The idea of a choke is to

filter the ripple that comes

*ram the power supply when it

charges the capacitDis at the

top and bottom of the

sinewave. This ripple is

created when the rectifier

diodes connect and

disconnect to and from the

grid; but also during mis

connection period noise on

he mains supply can make

its way into your component,

and again a correctly rated

choke filtration system will

prevent the ripples and

mains-borne noise from

degrading the performance of

the component.

Because both the A5'

pre-amp and power amp are

of true dual- mono

construction, both units

require two sizable chokes —

a solution that is neither light

nor cheap. However, based on

results, it's a highly effective

solution sonically.

recording or performance, without being unduly

critical of less than-perfect-recordings.

And as for the fact that they sound a shade

lightweight in the bass, I would suggest that this

will have more to do with supporting equipment

rather than this being down to any inherent

imbalance in this combination's sound.

In terms of sonic balance, these amps are the

best I've heard to date from Musical Fidelity, and

they throw down a gauntlet to the competition

when it comes to build quality, flexibility, power

and sound quality at the price. If you are looking

for either a pre- or power amp at even triple the

cost of these components, then do yourself, and

your wallet, a favour and audition the A5"

amplifiers. Both are outstanding bargains. •

David Allcock

Supplier Musical Fidelity

020 8900 2866

www.musicalfidelity.com

Hi-FiNews verdict Transparent, fast and able to keep a firm grip on the

busiest of mixes, this combination pulls you into the

music with a sound that's big and easy on the ear.

Flexible too, and the phono stage is no slouch.

36 JUNE 2005 Hi-FL www.hifinews.co.11k

AuJro Consultants

ART Audio Designed and hand-built in England by Tom Willis, ART Audio Amplifiers

are not just beautiful to behold, but beautiful to listen to as well.

Full-range available for demonstration.

Border Patrol Valve amplifiers that combine superb sound quality with clean retro visuals. The elegant hardwood plinths house modern, state of the art triode valve circuitry that use the latest high performance modern components.


Croft Made for the faithful and the enthusiastic, they are capable of making the cynical

and jaded amongst us relive the true miracle of High-Fidelity audio reproduction.

Models: Croft Transvalve series. TS4 and Charisma X available for demonstration.

•. e

Hovland Hovland Company designs and manufactures audio products to accurately convey the passion of music.


Exclusive Brands to Shadc

Lumley The team at Lumley make speakers with one aim: to reproduce music as close to the original as possible.

Full-range available fc

w Audio Consultants

demonstration.

Musical Fidelity kW Series The themes ur derlying Musical Fidelity's progress have been vale for

money, sonic excellence and beauty of design and build.

Models: full MF range including the entire kW series available for demonstration.

Triangle Designed and built in France,Triangle Loudspeakers offer exceptional value for money.

Full-range available fo

Vivid Aud .. it was clear that such a c have to deliv featuring mo innovative er they succeec greatest and

Full-range available fo

Stockists for: ART Audio l Audio Analogue I Aurt..

I Border Patrol l Custom Design I Croft I Goldring

I Ortofon I Pathos I Project I QED I Ref 3a I Res

Unison Research I Whest I Wilson Benesch I Vertex

Best Part- Exchange Visit our website (www.shadowaudio.co.uk) fc

our extensive used listing, links to reviews, te

demonstration.

jo from the outset ornpany would er products re than just gineering.... led beyond their wildest dreams!

demonstration.

Shadow Audio are major stockists for a wide range of brands including:

Shanling A rai (7. very e , unctive, beautifully built and superb sounding valve based

products from China.

Full- range available for demonstration including the very limited edition SCD-T300.

Unison Research Throughout the history of Unison Research, the company has always demonstrated its mastery of both pure valve amplifiers and hybrid designs.

Full-range available for demonstration including the new Performance Amplifier

Vertex AQ cables "Listen up, and don't skip this section, cos I'm about to

reveal the best improvement in my hi-fi system for a decade." - Paul Messenger; Hi-Fi +.

Our favourite cables !!


21 - 22 Cadham Centre

Glenrothes KY7 6RU

tel: 01592 744 779 fax: 01592 744 711)

[email protected] www.shadowaudio.co.uk

Wilson Benesch

Si1011yII .1005

with innovative design and advanced materials technology.They set the standards by which others are judged.


Music Evenings

eumL

Throughout 2005. Shadow Audio will be holding a series of Music Evenings.

These will focus on a specific product or system. Experts will be on-hand at all times to give advice and answer any questions that you may have

Please register your interest as early as possible to avoid disappointment as places are limited and by appointment only.

An evening full of music and friends - not to be missed !!

We look forward to seeing you and don't forget to bring some music !!

m Cantus I Audio Physic I Audionet I AV1 I Bel Canto I Black Rhodium I Blue None

I Graaf I Hovland I Lumley I Musical Fidelity I Musical First l Opera I Origin Live

olution I Roksan I Shanling I Soundstyle I Triangle I Trichord I Townshend Audio l AQ I Vivid Audio and many more.

CD Players Roksan Caspian M series CD player,6 months old, boxed as new £ 11 Chord DAC 64, Boxed. manual, 1 owner Heart CD 6000, boxed Audio Analogue Paganini, boxed Audio Analogue Maestro, boxed, ex-dem Meridian 508/24. as new Primare D30.2, boxed Sony SCD- I SACD player Marantz SA- I SACD player; one owner Musical Fidelity Nu Vista CD Electrocompaniet EMC I 24/192 boxed as new Unison Reseal-ch Unite, as new Krell KPS 20 cd player Legendary and extremely rare £ 10k new Musical FidelityA3.2 CD player, boxed as new

Amplifiers Musical FidelityA300cr power amplifier, one owner, boxed as new Hovland HP2010 with phono stage. ex-dem. new £7325 Quad four forty valve pre/power boxed as new, new price £4000 Pass Labs X600 Mono blocks, boxed NEW. Huge saving £ 1,6000 Pass Labs X350.5, Latest model, new boxed! EARv20, boxed, as new Audio Analogue Maestro Unison Research S2 Audio Analogue Primo Setanta Unison Research SR I Krell KAV 300i Musical Fidelity NuVista Integrated Chord SPM 3300 with integra legs Pathos Classic One MKI Cyrus 8, boxed with PSXR in black. 4 months old Musical Fidelity A308 Musical Fidelity A308 Power amplifier boxed as new. Musical FidelityA308 Pre amplifier, boxed as new. Primare A30.1, boxed Roksan Caspian Musical Fidelity A3.2 Cary CAD 300 SEI only 9 months old, including extra Sophia 300E3'5 CroftTwinstar 2, boxed as new condition, 6 months old. cost new

Prices )r full details of our extremely comprehensive range of products,

chnical information and much more.

Loudspeakers 00 £695

£1495 f495 £475 £850 £895 £895

£1795 £2495 £1695 £1295 £865

£2995 £549

o

£895 £5995 £2995 £9995 £5500 £1595 £1295 £575 £395 f895 £995

£1695 £3495 £795 £895 £995 £995 £995 £795 £795 £695

£1995£ O 1495

Martin Logan Ascent i,boxed as new 12 months old. (new £43301 Zingali Overture 3S. boxed as new, one owner Cost new £4000 Quad 989 ESLVintage, unused, boxed, new £5000 Quad 988 ESL boxed as new in Nouveau, cost new £3750 Audio PhysicSpark3, new boxed. Cherry or light maple, new £ 1799 Audio Physic Tempo 3i, new boxed, Cherry or light maple, new £2199 Audio PhisicTempo3i SE new boxed, Cherry or light maple, new £2599 AVI Trio loudspeakers, finished in chen-y.boxed,6 months old, new £3300 JM Lab MicroUtopia be with stands Audio PhysicVirgo Ill Chen-y Wilson Benesch ACT I finished in Cherry Wilson Benesch Actor Triangle Antal ES Triangle Antal 202 - best buy award ATCSCM 50ASL boxed Martin Logan Aerius i Opera Super Pavarotti MKII, boxed

Analogue Michell Orbe SE boxed as new Tom Evans 'The Groove' phono stage. boxed as new (£ 1900) Trichord Delphini 4 box dual mono phono stage, cost new £ 1995 Pro-ject RPM6 SB 10 months old, boxed, includes cartridge SME I OA. boxed Linn LP 12 Ittok, very high spec Michelle Gyro SE. RB300, boxed unused Nottingham Analogue Spacedec Kuzma-Stabi / Stogi S Michelle Orbe SE-boxed Pro-ject RPM 9 (non-acrylic)

Miscellaneous Stax SRS 4040 tube system Ortofon Jubilee - very low hours EAR 834P de-luxe phono stage Ecosse Legend SE I m interconnect Trichord Dino - silver front

List is updated on a daily basis via website

£2995 £2200 £P0A £2999 £1250 £1395 £1799 £2295 £1995 £2895 £3995 f2295 £595 £595

£3295 £995 £995

£1595 £1250 £1295 £395

£2495 £795 £795 £695 £995

£1395 £695

£695 £795 £495 £195 £199

01592 744 779 I www.shad owaudio.co.uk I [email protected]

Mission

e82 This formidable-looking

floorstander can form the heart of a surround sound

system, but how does it perform with pure music?

Mission e82 PRICE £1690/pa r

Launched last year, Mission's Elegante range comprises three speaker systems

(e80, e82, e83) which cater for standard

two-channel stereo or up to 6.1-channel (le, THX

EX or Dolby Digital EX or Dolby Digital 6.1) surround. There are seven designs altogether: two stand/wall mount units, two floorstanders, a

centre speaker and two active subwoofers. The e82 floorstander forms the mainstay (front left/right) of the middle range system. Here it is assessed as a conventional hi-fi stereo pair.

The speaker is a three-way design using six drivers. The slim 120mm-wide baffle has tangible

benefits in terms of horizontal dispersion as

discussed below, but clearly precludes the use of

a single, large bass unit. Four 110mm drivers are

thus used instead, wired in series/parallel (to maintain a nominal 8 ohm overall impedance) to

provide the equivalent cone area of a single

250mm driver. There are additional benefits to be had from this arrangement, since smaller cones

11 The first thing I noticed about the e82 was its remarkable similarity in tonal

balance to the Quad ESL-63

are more readily inclined to pistonic behaviour,

weigh less and thereby offer a potentially superior

transient response. The cone material here is Paramid-S, a

sandwich of aramid fibre and pulp paper that offers an excellent solution in the quest for

diaphragm materials which combine low mass and structural rigidity. The cone is terminated in

convex rubber roll surround and has an inverted

dust cap, which of course strengthens the

mid-cone territory. In the larger e83 bass loading is by auxiliary bass radiators, as in Mission's new flagship Pilastro, to which the Elegante range

owes much in terms of its design. But here, in the

e82, conventional reflex loading is employed via two small ports low clown on the rarrow (60mm)

rear panel. An amount of AcJfil' damping

material is used within the enclosure. The single 110mrn midrange driver is set in its

own enclosure at the top of the cabinet. It shares

the Paramid-S diaphragm material and overall

style of the bass drivers, though of course the mix

of parameters is tailored to its working frequency

range. It has a slightly larger dust cap, for

example. Rear-going erergy here is partly

dissipated through a resistive (foam-plugged) port

on the back panel.

A 25mm-dome tweeter sits between the midrange and bass driver array — what Mission terms inverted driver geometry ( IDOL The idea

here is to iine up the axis of the speaker with the ear of a seated listener but in this example it also creates something of a point source, with the

highest frequencies emanating from the centre of

the array. The 25mm tweeter has a Viotex-S, fabric, dome and uses ferro-fluid damping. It

has a frequency range good to some 38kHz, approximately twice the limit of human hearing.



Terminals and one of two rear ports [above];

while [ above right! those 110mm bass drivers

This extended response enables the distortion elements to be pushed beyond audibility, with the

result, it is claimed by Mission, that the response

within the accepted audio band is significantly

cleaner. All six drivers are set flush with the

baffle, the tweeter being fitted with an integral, slightly dished faceplate.

The crossover has turnover frequencies of

160Hz and 2.2kHz. It is split for bi-wiring, thus

there are four gold-plated terminals, paired as

supplied for a regular two-wire feed. As usual,

these terminals accept 4mm plugs or bare wire

ends. The crossover itself is assembled from top quality components, including laminated silicon

iron coils and 'audiophile' grade capacitors.

A degree of impedance compensation is

incorporated to ensure that the speaker presents

an even load to the amplifier. The nominal

impedance is 8 ohms with a minimum of 4 ohms

and my measurements showed it to be remarkably

even from 125Hz to the 31.5kHz limit of my test

set. This will be a comfortable load for the

Enclosure, but no movement

The Elegante enclosure panels are a composite,

comprising two layers of MDF, a layer of particle

board and two further layers of MDF. Named

Grania, this ply-type construction is pre-formed

into curved sections similar in plan view to

Mission's Pilastro speaker. With its four courses

of interlayer adhesive and the luxuriant finish of

no fewer than seven coats of polished lacquer,

this is about as still' a cabinet as can be

envisaged using conventional materials, while its

profile again helps optimise dispersion.

Standard finish is anthracite grey but several

alternative colours are available to order, at 10%

extra on the price. Structural integrity is further

enhanced by comprehensive bracing inside the

amplifier, the recommended power rating of

which should fall between 50-150W/ch into 8

ohms. As Miss,on notes, thougn, it is always

better to err towards the powerful, since a low

powered amplifier pushed into distortion will very

likely damage the drive units.

The first thirg that I noticed about the e82 was

its remarkable similarity ,n tonal balance to the

There's a marvellous level of transparency too.

Audiophiles define this in different ways. Some

think of the ability to hear ' into' a recording. To

me transparency is near holistic, concerned as

much with detailing minutiae in the acoustic as

on defining the performers themselves. The

obvious analogy is with realism in photography,

which requires a good depth of field so that detail

appears in focus whether in the foreground or in

the distance. The e82 has the measure of this,

generating quite the most 'complete' image I have

heard from a newcomer in a long while. Doubtless significant in this success is the remarkably even

lateral dispersion. I know Mission has paid much attention to it. Direct sound establishes the

'moment' but if the later-arriving, reflected

information is significantly coloured it won't

combine convincingly: the image will be tainted and the ear disappointed.

We've got integrity, then, and an excellent tonal

balance, but also impressive is the loudspeaker's

dynamic response: I love the e82's sense of

power- in-waiting. During this test I listened to

music of an exceptionally wide variety and was

consistently impressed with the e82's 'slam', its

articulation of transients be they from a close-

miked Spanish guitar or solo piano, or from percussion instruments.

Bass is impressively complete for so modest an

enclosure, again crisp and clean and with no

tendency to dwell. Good down to mains

Consistently impressive was the e82's articulation of transients, be they from a close-miked Spanish guitar or solo pianh

Quad ESL-63. Precious few box loudspeakers frequency, it has a useful output as low as 38Hz

bear such comparison. There's the same cool top in my room, thereby conveying much of the

end, smooth to the extert of seeming almost character, if not the entire weight, of fully

muted until you realise that it is the 'contribution' registered organ music such as Messiaen's Les made by most tweeters that is absent. Play Corps Glorieux [Oliver Latry, DG 471 482-2].

something with prominent upper string energy or Aficionados might add one of the Elegante a vocal track with overactive subwoofers. Solo voice is a real challenge, not

sibilants and you'll soon realise least of tonal balance. This was remarkably

you've not been the least bit lifelike. Perhaps just a hint — no more than that — short-changed. of additional warmth in the midrange.

So, I'm extremely impressed. The e82 has a

cabinet. This is 3 lovely looking

speaker, beautifully proporioned

and superbly finished. It is

bolted to a substantial mach ned

plinth into which are fitted four

gold-plated adjustable spikes;

rather neatly these can be

reversed to present a rounded

face to polishei floors. The

entire baffle is hidden behind a,

fabric-covered plastic grille but

this can easily be removed, as is

de rigueur with card-carrying

audiophiles, to achieve that nth

iegree of transparency.

•

•

•

stylish presence that will blend into almost any

room, and a performance that is surely beyond

reproach at the price. It should win many friends.

Elegante by name and elegant, also, by nature. • Ivor Humphreys

Supplier Mission

01480 423700

www.mission.co.uk

Hi-FiNews verdict

A British- designed- and- specified floorstander of

impressively coherent performance. Tonally clean,

with superb imaging and a first-rate dynamic response, it is also beautifully styled and presented.

www. h if i news . co. u k JUNE 2005 39

Four

PRICE £309 (60GB), £249 ( 30GB)

Apple iPod shuffle PRICE £99 ( 1GB); £69 ( 512MB)

M-bird XT-21 PRICE £100

¡River H340 PRICE £319

With the Apple iPod as the leader in the world of portable music players, other

models continue to appear almost

daily, many promising better performance or

features, the better to entice the would-be buyer away from the ubiquitous all-white pacesetter.

Here we take a closer look at two different iPods at each end of Apple's range, along with two

Alternatives to the iPod: Andrew

Harrison pits new contenders

from iRiver and M- Bird against

top and bottom model iPods

players that represent the two storage

technologies employed by all such portables — one

solid-state ( Flash) memory, and one hard-disk drive, namely the M-bird XT-21 and iRiver H340.

M-BIRD XT-21 There's no mistaking this little player for any

other, its uncompromising appearance being something of an opinion divider. First impression is of a Frankenstein concoction, with gleaming

metallic parts bolted on as an afterthought. The XT-21 has 512MB capacity, giving about

400 minutes of MP3 music at 160kb/s. Its

principle boast is that of the smallest stereo MP3

player in the world, a claim supported by two tiny speakers. One sits in the body, the other in the

USB cover, which must be pulled off when connecting to a computer. Connection to and

uploading from a computer is simple, as it fits

directly into a USB port without a need for a

special cable, although an extension cable is provided. Thanks to its observance of standard USB Mass Storage protocol, it will work on either

a Mac or Windows PC without extra software,

allowing you to simply drag-and-drop MP3 or WMA files into the unit's MUSIC folder. If only

more players would allow this flexibility! Once plugged in, it also receives charge on its internal

lithium polymer battery. Many features have been packed into this tiny

case, including voice recorder, with built-in mic and 3.5mm jack; timer recording; alarm clock;

and the ability to change speed of playback. This

can help dictaphone voice transcribing, and also allows some mischief, slowing Gary Moore to

sound like Muddy Waters, for example. Hands on, it was found to be fairly easy to use,

although the main navigation joystick was fiddly


Group test personaT players

to thumb, and some controls defied what I felt to

be logical conventions, not helped by tiny

on-screen icons. And that screen, 20mm square,

bizarrely announces the unit as My Well Being

Story!' when first switched on, and continues to

alternate in a wild series of colours while in use.

Sound from the built-in speakers was as bad as

you might expect from a transducer 13mm across

— thin and tinny, although clear enough to hear

voices at mobile phone quality. But sound through

headphones was a different — ' My Well Being!' —

story, as it inclined toward a warm and euphonic

tone. It was dynamic and punchy with warm if

sometimes bloomy bass, and good mid clarity as

heard on acoustic piano. Not exactly neutral, but

an easy and smooth sound that will not grate.

APPLE ¡ POU SHUFFLE

Not long ago, Apple CEO Steve Jobs was heard

running down flash memory players for their poor

capacity-to- price ratio. Then the all-solid-state

iPod shuffle appeared this year, dramatically

dropping the entry- price to the iPod owners' club.

Hard-disk based products still provide better

value, but recent times have seen memory

increase into the gigabyte bracket, and prices

drop, enabling Apple to offer 512MB and 1GB

'shuffle' models at the competitive prices of £69

and £99; cheap even compared to the Windows-

targeted cheap ' n' cheerful flash players that look

like they fell out of a christmas cracker. To keep the price down Apple has omitted what

hitherto was thought to be crucial — a display

screen. A few cents saved here has allowed the

sub-£ 100 price point to be met, albeit at the

expense of giving no idea on what's going on

inside — little details like which track is actually

playing! In fact, Apple has made a virtue out of necessity in a campaign using ad slogans like

'Life is Random' and Enjoy Uncertainty'.

The iPod shuffle is not just tiny but very light

in weight: only 85 x 25 x 8.5mm ( hwd) and 22g. Its playing controls are limited to play/pause, skip

back/forward, and volume up/down. On the back,

a slider selects off; play in order; or play random.

So your favourite concept album or five movement

symphony can be played in order, even if Apple

encourages users to embrace a surprise element. Filling the iPod shuffle with music and

charging its battery only requires plugging it

directly into a Mac or PC's USB port. Loading

songs relies on Apple's iTunes software, a package

14110

Cl.ornwa, •

iPod photo: natural, airy and all- day listenability

M-bird XT- 21: warm, smooth and feature packed

leaving acoustic piano sounding a little ' plinky'.

There's still plenty of drive behind the sound, and

the shuffle actually goes very loud, making me

wonder if it's escaped the nanny-state firmware

that European iPods receive, which oppressively

restricts maximum volume. But the main

weakness of the shuffle sound was the way it

tended to blur instruments together. In simple

fidelity terms it was not far wrong, but I did find

my concentration wandering due to the lesser

degree of differentiation it could make of the strands of the music.

Not so long ago, Apple CEO Steve Jobs was running down solid-state memory players for poor capacity-to- price ratio

that can also convert music from CD into

compressed MP3 or AAC, although the shuffle

does not support Apple Lossless or AIFF.

The sound of the iPod shuffle is not as good as

the current HD Pods, but it's not too far behind.

It's a leaner balance, with less body to the sound,

APPLE ¡POD PHOTO

With small colour screens now routinely appearing

on mobile phones, it was inevitable that Apple

would offer the same on its music players. But

why? To navigate through thousands of songs

doesn't really demand a Technicolor interface;

iPod shuffle: lean looks, lean sounds, but loud

iRiver H340: deaf, dynamic, if fiddly to use

and Apple has shunned the idea of video playback

as unnecessary for a music device. But a feature

that can inspire is the chance to browse music

with its original album cover artwork, embedded

in a sorg's datafile. Additionally, you can store

any digital photos within, browsing tiny

thumbnails before displaying a picture on the 2in

screen (220 x 176 pixels). And to see your pictures bigger than that, you can display on a TV,

exploiting a viceo output on the combined

audio/AV 3.5mm mini-jack.

The iPod photo undoubtedly gives the best

tactile and intuitive control experience of the four

players seen here. It's superbly weighted, sized

just rght to sit in the palm of the hand; and its elega-r interface is made even easier now that

Apple has chosen the latest click-wheel interface

seen on the iPod mini [July '04]. Compared to the previous generation of iPod, which had extra

buttons under the display, it's much easier again

to operate one- handed, or even blindly such as

when stowed in a pocket.

Battery life is :outed as longer, at 15 hours, an

area where the competition has been keen to

show an advantage over the iPod. And capacity

has ircreased too, up to 60GB, translated as

www.hifinews.co.uk Iii-FiNews JUNE 2005 41

Walrus 11 New Quebec St, London W1

So many exciting things, so little space to tell you about them in. Sorry, the pictures had to go...

Audio Aero - the Capitole CD Player. It's not often we get excited by a digital product, but this product of the French Aerospace industry (!) is really superb. It fulfils almost every possible digital wish as well as the obvious one of playing CDs.

You can feed up to 3 wired and 2 optical digital sources up to 24bit / 96k standard through its superb DAC - Digital Radio,

DAT, Minidisc, almost any current digital source can be fed through the Capitole's 24bit / 192k processing engine. If you

purchase the version of the Capitole with analogue inputs, you can even feed two single ended and one balanced analogue source through the player's top quality stepped volume control and valve output stage, eliminating a preamp from your system

altogether. This is now our reference digital source; we feel sure you will agree when you hear it.

Musical Fidelity is a permanent feature at Walrus. Les and I have been involved with them from the start, way before we

founded Walrus. We remember selling their original product, The Preamp, back in the Eighties, a cute little beast it was too! We watched them grow from the original "garage-built" operation to the highly professional company they are now, with a

range of superbly built and excellent sounding products, one of the few manufacturers to continue supporting and furthering the cause of High Fidelity when others were abandoning it. And, their products are consistently great value for money, something other manufacturers could learn from. The latest " X" series, now in v3 form, are very popular purchases: X- 10v3

Buffer Stage, X-CANv3 Headphone Amp, X-LPSv3 Phono Amp, X-DACv3, X-PSUv3, all on demo and usually from stock.

The recent A5 Series Amp and CD Player (with valve output stage), and the limited edition KW500 Amplifier (500W/channel) are also all on demo, and ought to be heard before you consider buying anything else of similar price. By the time you read

this, we will also have the new top-end KW Preamp, KW Phono Stage, and the amazing KW750 Power Amp. We were

shocked - even the preamp alone can supposedly sustain a 20W continuous output - who needs a power amp!! However, if

you feel you do, the KW750 manages 750W per channel, adequate for most situations.

Brinkmann is a German company (still run by its perfectionist founder, Helmut Brinkmann) which we have been supporting

for several years. Their range of products is small, but very high quality, the best known being the outstanding LaGrange turntable, one of the very finest turntables in the world, and now in full time use by at least a couple of well known reviewers.

You really should make an effort to hear it, as a reference point, before considering any other top end turntable; the difference is clearly audible. At the other end of the spectrum, the Brinkmann Integrated Amplifier with, or without, integral valve output

DAC should be auditioned by anyone contemplating mid-price amplifiers. It has the same standard of finish and reliability as

all other Brinkmann equipment, with a beautifully even and detailed sound quality, plus a load of power considering its slim-

line form factor. In the middle of the range sit the Pre and Power amps. We don't make a big song and dance about these, yet they get used extensively for demonstration of other items in our studio - you might well have heard them without realising it if

you've had a demo with us in the last year or two - they simply do their job transparently and effortlessly!

It's always been difficult for a company which was very successful early on in its life to still make class leading products many

years later; too many get distracted and lose their way. Spendor Audio, however, whose earlier designs such as the legendary BC-1 received so much acclaim, and who were one of the very few manufacturers to receive a licence from the BBC to manufacture the famous LS3/5A mini monitor, are now treating the next generation of audiophiles to the pleasures of their

accurate, but never boring, loudspeakers. They've not been distracted by gimmicks, they continue to carefully produce most

components in-house, and have been rewarded by excellent reviews and success for their S range of speakers. Key attributes

are an even-ness most speakers can't match, with just a hint of warmth, and natural dynamics. Just as with the Brinkmann amps, we often use Spendors to demonstrate amplifiers or turntables. Again, they just do their job without drawing attention to

themselves, drawing out the very best from the source components, possibly the highest praise you can give!

One of the most exciting pieces of equipment to arrive recently is the Shanling CD-T300 (pictured). This limited edition CD

player (only 300 pieces will be made) is not only stunning looking, but equally stunning sounding! If you are at all

interested in it, book soon to hear it and reserve yourself one; we can't see supplies lasting long.

Don't forget, of course, Shanling's existing CD-T100 player, still deservedly selling well.

Running out of space now, so just room for a mention of exciting new products from British tor company Sonneteer; with their Orton integrated le amp, and their new Bard Audio wireless system, a

high quality transmitter and receiver set, either analogue, or digital via USB, for quality audio transmission around the house.

Bye for now, see you soon! Pete and Les.

air tangent amazon amphion amplifon anthony gallo apollo furniture argento audible illusions audio aero audio physic audiovalve black rhodium breuer dynamic brinkmann cartridge man cawsey clearaudio consonance decca london duevel dynavector ear yoshino

final lab graham slee hadcock heart incognito infinity isolda jadis jbl k2 klimo koetsu korato lavardin lyra magneplanar michell engineering morch musical fidelity nordost nottingham analogue opus 3 origin live ortofon project rega revolver ringmat roksan shun mook shahinian shanling shelter slinkylinks sme something solid sonneteer spendor stax sugden sumiko tannoy tci cables

tom evans townshend audio transfiguration trichord trigon van den hul voodoo wireworld xlo

tel: 020 7724 7224 fax: 020 7724 4347 email: [email protected] web: www.walrus.co.uk

Group test persona players

Copying to and from...

Both M-bird and ¡ River players

benefit from being usable

without installing extra

software, relying on Win

2000/XP and Mac OS X native

recognition of generic USB

devices. This also allows the

key feature of allowing the user

to copy music files from the

player, as well as just to it — a

contentious feature ' disallowed'

since early Diamond Rio

players. This was to appease a

music industry that believed

two-way transfers would open

the floodgates to widespread

music copying between friends.

(This was before internet file

sharing was seized upon as the

reason for the industry's

troubles of course.)

Filling a player with music in

this way assumes a knowledge

of computer file management.

In this respect Apple has the

edge, its iTunes software being

simple to use, if restrictive.

'15,000 songs' in Apple parlance, or 25,000

photographs. But what about sound quality?

Adding a colour screen hasn't impinged upon

the sound of this iPod compared to the preceding

version. It seems to have maintained the quality

of the previous non-colour Pod, if still short of the

original's sound. While the iPod mini was found to

be a notch or two down, the Photo version showed

excellent bandwidth, from secure deep bass to

clear, focused treble. Midband was nicely open,

" The ¡ River had good overall sound, but didn't quite have the natural balance of the iPod, with its listen-all-day sound ly

directories using the forward, backward and

centre Navi keys. This does feel painfully slow to

operate against an iPod, which can zoom around

in seconds with its scroll wheel.

Extra features include FM radio, and recording

capability — either through a built-in mic or a jack.

As a recording device, it can only capture sound

compressed to MP3, up to 320kb/s, and sadly

there is no uncompressed 16-bit ( or better) audio

option. This is a shame when you consider that

allowing good enunciation of vocals such as the

voice of China Forbes on Pink Martini's Sympathique. Also noted here was the way the

opening harp on 'Amdao Mio' had the most

natural and airy quality of the four players. It's a

relatively flowing sound, where other players

could sound like an EQ mode was always left on.

¡RIVER H340

After hearing anecdotal reports that the ¡ River

H-Series players were the ones to watch (or rather,

listen to), we had to include one here. In terms of

capabilities, it's broadly similar to the iPod photo:

it has a large hard-drive (40GB); it can display

still pictures on its 2in screen (same spec as

iPod); and it boasts a comparable 16 hours

battery life. Where it differs are in added features

and styling. Control and selection of files, whether

music, photos or even text files, is through a

Linux-like GUI, where you drill down through

the capacious hard-drive could allow over 60

hours of recording. Also missed is an optical

digital link, seen on previous ¡ River models.

Styling is a personal thing, so whether the

chunky black case in faux-carbon-fibre finish

appeals is down to personal taste; but in ease of

use, this ¡ River needs patience to get going.

Controls are as far from intuitive as you can

imagine: how could you know that pressing the

Record button brings up the master control menu,

or pressing A-B repeat button changes the EQ

setting, without first digesting 84 pages of

instruction manual?

Given the arcane control, fiddly to press

buttons, and the cluttered if informative display, this player/recorder will appeal to the more

technically-minded user. Sound from the radio

was average at best, with plenty of noise and

interference audible despite testing within 7km of

the FM relay at Crystal Palace. Computer

connection was tricky initially. It needs a very

brief touch on the Play button after connection, otherwise it will fail to mount, but this is not

documented. It attained similar levels of fidelity

as the iPod photo, being clear and dynamic, but

with less of the wide-openness, and less profound

bass. But it wasn't that far removed, the major

difference between iPod photo and H340 being a

slightly more forward ' presence' on the ¡ River,

which could be mistaken as greater clarity. Many

EQ options are included, including TruBass and

an SRS surround effect. These are fun to try but

my feeling is that they're added to swell the

feature list, and camouflage the fact that its

unadulterated sound is not quite class leading.

Finally, a new string to the H340's bow is video on-screen, albeit only when compressed into a

rare Xvid codec at 10fps.

CONCLUSION

It may be tempting to ascribe the Apple iPod as

merely a modern fashion accessory. But spending

time with various rival devices demonstrated that

Apple still takes the lead in the essential areas of

ease of use, and sound quality remains very good. Consumer electronics firms would do well to

follow Apple's lead in making sophisticated

technology intuitive to use by all.

In replay performance terms, the iPod photo

was found to give the best sound. The M-bird

XT-21 was the smoothest — euphonic, warm and

inviting, but compared to others it was a little too

coloured. At the other extreme was the iPod

shuffle, sounding far leaner and a little gritty on

occasion. Its sound was relatively neutral but

lacked some of the clarity that allows easy listening of more complex music.

Although the ¡ River H340 had good overall

sound, it didn't quite have the natural balance of

the iPod, with its listen-all-day sound. But

interestingly, neither of these hard-disk players

could equal the best sounding digital portable

heard to date, the original iPod with 5GB storage.

This model [HFN May '02] still provides the

benchmark for portable sonic performance,

showing crystal-clear painting of high-frequency

details, coupled with driving dynamics and deep

natural bass. I

Supplier Apple

0800 039 1010

www.apple.com

iRiver

0049 6196 470100

www.iriver.com

M- Bird

0870 9063304

www.mbird.co.kr ( Korean language only)

HI-FiNews verdict

Other players offer some useful features, like

recording capability or even video playback, but for

sound quality and ease of use, the iPod photo was the

best on test, and 'shuffle offering good overall value.

www.hifinews.co.uk JUNE 2005 43

ATC SCM20-2/SIA2-150

Can the disciplines of studio monitoring be realised in the home?

This passive two-way speaker aims to prove

so, especially when driven by ATC's own

integrated amp

ATC SCM20-2/SIA2-150 PRICE £2732/pair £2422 amp

In the depths of rural Gloucestershire lie the headquarters of one of the world's truly

great speaker manufacturers. Its designs

are used by many of the world's most famous

artists, studios and concert halls. If you want to hear Pink Floyd the way David Gilmour does then,

like him, you'd better use ATC speakers at home. The SCM20-2 (Studio Control Monitor 20- litre

volume) passive monitors occupy the lower-mid of ATC's surprisingly extensive domestic loudspeaker range. It's an easy speaker to accommodate by

ATC standards, being around half a metre tall with width and depth in proportion. However, weighing around 60Ib, it's extremely heavy for its size and

demands the use of high quality frame stands.

The significant weight of the ATC is explained by its fabulous build quality. The sealed cabinet of the review pair came finished in charcoal-grey

laminate with matt aluminium corner bracing and

black wire frame grilles. The design is attractive

and modern yet conveys a sense of the model's pro-studio pedigree. The drive unit complement

consists of a hand-built ATC 150mm paper-coned

The speakers were installed on 20in open-framed metal stands and positioned around 2ft from the rear wall. Best results were obtained with them slightly toe'd in and around 7ft apart with the

listening position 12ft away. My resident Naim

The ATC exposed the timbre of musical instruments to a degree unmatched by any other speaker I have used at homer,

bass/mid driver, and a 25mm soft-dome tweeter

built by Vifa to ATC specifications. This tweeter has an unusual double magnet design claimed to

deliver frequency response to beyond 25kHz, thus ensuring sonic linearity and compatibility with the

latest high-bandwidth formats such as DVD-A.

NAP 250 amplifier was used to power them, via Naim NAC A5 cable. Sources were a Naim CDi CD player and Michell GyroDec turntable. For

comparison ATC also provided its SIA2-150

integrated amplifier (see panel opposite), reviewed in these pages before [HFN Sept '991.

The SCM20-2 made a deep impression on me

right away. It exposed the timbre of musical

instruments to a degree unmatched by any other speaker I have used at home. The tonal signature

beween different makes of piano or guitar was clearly revealed — no surprise given these

monitors' pro-audio heritage. When listening to a

drum kit one was aware o whether the drummer

had slackened or tightened the skins and acutely aware of the resulting tone and colour. This additional insight was extremely addictive and proved independent of both source and musical

genre. What's more, no frequency extremes were

emphasised. The music was immediate and visceral without ever sounding shrill with the

result that Karen Carpenter's voice on 'Calling

Occupants of Interplanetary Craft' sent shivers up

the sp ne, so beautifully balanced was the sound.

There was also a sense of sure-footedness and


Auditions speaker/amp

security to the presentation that was independent

of musical style and volume level. I played Led

Zeppelin's ' Fool in the Rain' at extremely high

levels and all that happened was that the Naim

got pretty warm and the ATCs kicked some serious

air. There was no fuss, no drama and no sense of

the sound hardening, compressing or changing.

Switching from CD to vinyl and a copy of

Albinoni's 'Adagio' performed by Musica de

Camera I revelled in the haunting beauty and

sadness that poured from the system. While these

aren't loudspeakers that major in projecting a

holographic soundstage they deliver world class

immediacy, tonal purity, dynamics and neutrality.

And as for bass, considering that they only utilise

a 6in woofer, never did I find these speakers

lacking in extension. They offered a balanced

sound with a highly articulate low-end of good

weight and great tonal insight. John McVie's

nimble bass work on the latest Fleetwood Mac

album Say You Will — this time on CD — was

handled with ease. There are loudspeakers that go lower and offer greater bass

output, but they all cost significantly more.

I have a feeling, however,

that these are speakers that

won't always impress on first

hearing. They don't offer the

superficially impressive aural

fireworks of some lesser

designs, by which I mean

boomy bass or a prominent top

end. Rather like a good wine

they take time to appreciate, but

soon you realise that the ATCs

are every inch a Grand Cru.

One thing that characterises a live performance is a sense of

speed and immediacy. Drums,

guitars — even a Hammond organ

— have a sense of attack to their

notes that is lost when heard

through the great majority of

domestic hi-fi equipment. The

ability to convey this quality is rare

Corners are braced with aluminium

Remove the terminal links to bi-wire the ATC

indeed and the pairing of Naim amplification with

the ATC speakers delivered speed in spades. I

know that many will consider Naim and ATC to

espouse differrig ideologies with respect to hi-fi design, Naim being frequently cited as striving for

'musicality' while ATC is noted for ' neutrality'. In

this case though, the coupling was a match made

in heaven and one I would

strongly recommend as

worthy of audition. Indeed,

the ATC was more tolerant of

glassy production than my

resident Naim SBL speakers,

which can occasionally sound

strident with poorly produced

material at high volume levels.

Heresy it may be, but I

don't feel that the disciplines

of studio monitoring and hi-fi

are mutually exclusive. Indeed,

there is no reason why well-

engineered studio monitors

shouldn't also be great hi-fi

speakers. The ATC SCM20-2

proved this point admirably and

I loved them. It's a design that

possesses absolute integrity of ', sound, build, power handling and philosophy. I want nothing

more from a speaker. 3

Jonathan Gorse

Those drivers in depth

The infinite baffle cabinet measures 470 x 285

x 395mm (hwd) and is extensively braced and

damped. The tweeter incorporates a double

magnet system for linear frequency response

while the bass driver takes a 2.8kHz crossover

with time/phase alignment. Frequency response

is quoted as 45Hz to 22kHz at -±0.5d8.

Such is the attention to detail here that all

the magnet's metal parts are finished in black

to help dissipate heat from the voice coil and so aid durability. Connection is via

conventional binding posts with the facility for

hi-wiring. The SCM20-2 is available in both

passive and active versions with the active

version being fitted with ATC amplification.

ATC SIA2-150 amplifier

ATC's SIA2-150 is an integrated amp ideally suited

to tie task of criving the company's passive

speakers, like the SCM20-2. The amp is specified

to 150 wads per channel and works in Class A mode up to two-thirds of its rated output.

The front panel features two large rotaries for

source selection and volume plus two buttons to

provide for tape monitoring and standby functions.

'It's quite . arge, measuring sone 440 x 130 x

325mm (wad) and, like the speakers, looks 'studio

ready'. To the rear can be found four inputs for

line- level sources and a designated AV input so

that it can be run in tandem with an external AV

amplifier to cater for surround duties.

Straight out of the box the amplifier gave a good

account of itself . With the Nain C11 and a Sony

tuner as sources, connected via Chord Cobra

interconnect, the sound was dyramic, punchy and

concrolled at all times. As for the soundstage this was both wide and surprisingly deep. Fully warmed

•••

up (ATC recomnends three hours) the amp had

more w2rmth and body than rey Nairn NAP 250

reference and sounded slight4 softer at the tap

end. On material that was inherently bright I

favoured the AD but found myself preferring the

Naim amplification on smoother recordings like

Janes Tailor s 'Fire and Rain' for its slightly

¡ greater incisiveness. It's worth pointing out here

thaí I'm comparing around £4500 worth of Nain

amalificetion and power supplies with an ATC

integrated costing practically half that.

The ATC amplifier also corveyed a sense of

unbridled power and massive headroom. There

was nothmg in my music collection that could phase r or make it sound anything but utterly

composed at all times. In a sense it was the audio

equivalent of David Niven: impeccably attired, well

bred, ariculate and refined. A gentleman then, but

one that could be relied upon to deliver a

consummate performance again and again,

irrespective of genre. The SIA2-150 is an ideal

partner for the SCM20-2. It is also an excellent

design in its own right, and offers superb value for

money in the context of a wider range of speakers.

Supplier Loudspeaker Technology Limited

01285 760561

www.atc.gb.let

Hi-FiNews verdict

Neutral, superbly balanced and with insight that can

()My be described as addictive, this passive ATC

brings the immediacy of the recording studio sound

into the home. Dedicated amp makes ideal partner.


DynavectorS .iStereo ADP -3

Dynavector SuperStereo Adapter DV Adp-3

Can you really recreate immersive three-dimensional sound from a two-channel source? Dynavector says you can

Dynavector ADP-3 PRICE £1495

you know the feeling — stereo is great at painting a sound picture in front of your

eyes, but it doesn't re-create the three-

dimensional experience. Sure, there are hints at

depth and spaciousness with the best systems, but it's not truly, holographically, realistic. The only time I ever had that experience outside the

concert hall was with three-channel, four-speaker Ambisonic replay 30 years ago, but Ambisonics

never happened commercially. Apart from bemoaning that lost opportunity,

there's little one can do with the huge back-catalogue of recorded stereo material — or is there? Dynavector claims there is a way of

enhancing plain vanilla stereo, to give more

lifelike reproduction by applying filtering and time delays to ordinary stereo signals and replaying

them through an extra pair of loudspeakers.

This has been done before. In the heady days

of Quadraphonics there was equipment with variable delays, which could be applied to the rear

speakers when listening to stereo recordings. The idea was that the precedence effect, discovered

by Haas, would keep the ears focused on the first sound to arrive. Sounds arriving later (from the rear speakers, with their delayed signals) would

replace the naturally delayed multi-directional

sound normally picked up by the ears in a real environment. Though false in origin, the idea was

that psychoacoustics would see to it that the

brain was more easily convinced that this was real

sound in a real environment — rather than a fake. Surprisingly, it worked — after a fashion.

Without delay, the rears would also have to have been played much more quietly to avoid them being audible as individual sources and

Each real environment is of course unique, with

its own absorption of high frequencies, storage of energy within the space, and time delays from multi-faceted reflections. So how could

this be more accurately simulated without using

multi-channel recording? This was the task that the late Dr Tominari of

Dynavector set himself — a mission which took

some 18 years to complete and culminated in the

granting of patents covering the SuperStereo technology. In real environments, the sound absorbency rate at low frequencies is less than that at high frequencies, so it is reflected many

he extra speakers for SuperStereo are placed not behind, but in front of the

listener, firing forwards spoiling the stereo imagery (again due to the Haas

effect). Of course, an accurate multi-channel

system would do this automatically because the rear, side and height sounds (which provide that

'real' sense in the original environment) would simply be captured and replayed with the correct

tonal spectrum and time delays.

times, building in volume to fill the space with

energy, before it reaches the listener. Thus

low-frequency sounds undergo a longer total delay. Higher frequency sounds are absorbed

more rapidly and therefore the total sound comprises a much higher proportion of first-arrival direct sound. Therefore, high frequencies


effectively arrive earlier with just the direct time of flight from musician and the listener. In

addition, higher frequencies undergo attenuation in the air before reaching the listener, plus

absorption and scattering in the environment.

The main problem with adding time delays to the signals fed to subsidiary loudspeakers is that a long time delay is required for realistic

reproduction of low frequencies — such a long delay, that if also applied to mid and higher

frequencies the delayed sounds would be audible, not as part of the whole sound, but separately, as echoes. The maximum delay before echoes are

created is about 30 milliseconds, placing a very

real upper limit on the time delay that can be

used — and this is not enough for a realistic effect.

In SuperStereo, differential time delays are

used across the audible frequency range and attenuation at high frequencies is simulated to

approximate reality more closely. According to

Dynavector, this removes the time limitation, so virtually any delay length may be used, though in

the ADP-3 Adapter the maximum is 343

milliseconds. In another departure from convention, the extra loudspeakers for

Under the lid: those delay electronics

SuperStereo are not placed behind the listener,

pointing forwards towards the listening position, but in front of the listener, firing forwards away from the listener and towards the front pair.

According to Dynavector, this allows the sounds to inter-mix — with the frequency-related delays

introduced — creating 'an acoustic hologram in the listening position, so that the listening

position is not limited to a particular sweetspot'. One drawback with multi-channel systems is

the need for special software, multi-channel

processors, amplifiers and extra speakers. But the ADP-3 SuperStereo Adapter is a simple add-on to

any conventional system, requiring only an extra pair of loudspeakers and interconnections. Inside

the adapter are the frequency-dependent delay electronics, based on analogue/digital circuitry,

and a pair of 25 watt power amplifiers. Further, the ADP-3 is designed to be easier to use and

Auditions surround sound

recommended at about the same height as the front speakers. I used the high-level inputs, connecting to the front loudspeaker terminals and

adjusting the ADP-3's volume level so that the side speakers could just be heard. Using the middle delay setting added a touch of warmth, or bloom to the sound, which was quite pleasing

with classical orchestral music, but the effect on

sound balance is nothing compared to the creation of a more convincing presentation. With

the processor working, the performance seems to be part of the acoustic and vice versa.

Indeed, anything originally recorded in a

natural acoustic was lifted to a new level by

judicious tweaking of the controls. With in-phase side loudspeakers, too much volume can make

the sound mid-dominant and bathe the music in

excess warmth and acoustic. The optimum setting adds just enough bloom, focusing the images

The ADP-3 is a simple add-on to any system, requiring only an extra pair of

loudspeakers and connections

more flexible than the previous ADP-2 [I-IFN April 2000]. With the ADP-3, the controls are on the

front panel; also, although it's still possible to connect the unit to your system via the line- level pre-amp output, there is also now the simpler option of connecting it to the main amplifier's

speaker terminals — which is the method I used.

The controls consist of a three-way delay

control switch, a phase reversal button and a volume control. The delay may be set to short,

for small venues and studio-produced music,

medium for orchestral recordings and long for larger venues such as churches. ( Dynavector says

a shorter delay setting is often preferable for

recordings having greater natural reverberation.)

SONIC HOLOGRAM?

I connected a small pair of Castle loudspeakers to

the Dynavector ADP-3 and set them slightly wider

than the front pair, facing forwards as

contained by the speakers as if re-uniting the sound and body of each musical instrument with the acoustics and creating a more 'solid' hear-

around effect. Placing the extra loudspeaker pair even further apart seemed to be even more beneficial by widening the soundstage with the in-phase setting.

With the side speakers out of phase, the sound became thinner in balance, seeming to pull stereo

images apart and away from the centre — though it can sound slightly unsettling — as out-of-phase

sounds can do. So, if anything, more care must be taken with out-of-phase levels. The best setting

on classical music seemed to be in-phase, where the extra bloom is beneficial and improvement to

soundstage scale can be subtle and yet startling. With studio-produced recordings, the bloom

and extra warmth can become cloying — as if

boxing the soundstage between the speakers. In these situations a lighter touch on the control was


Auditions surround sound

appropriate. The out-of-phase setting, with its

more expansive feel, was sometimes more appropriate, but needed to be applied judiciously.

So, this is not a 'one size fits all' product, and

it demands at least some user interaction. Most recordings benefited from the middle delay setting. The higher (longer delay) setting made some recordings sound a bit over 'wet', especially

if they had a good degree of natural ambience.

The lower setting seemed less beneficial

generally. This is the setting Dynavector suggests

for drier recordings made in studios. All sorts of music and recordings were tried, for

instance, Rachmaninov 2 with John Lill and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales [ Nimbus

Records NI 90031. With the Dynavector adding in-phase information, the soundstage was deeper and the opening bars seemingly more mysterious.

Strings became lusher and more reafistic, double basses more richly textured and the soundstage

opened out in a most extraordinary way. The adaptor seemed also to have the effect of

reducing or removing any hints of glare or

harshness. Improvements to the overall sense of realism were quite startling, and weU worthwhile. Switching the ADP-3 off caused the soundstage

to collapse to a surprisingly small scale and a less convincing sense of 'wholeness' was present. Out

of phase, the sound became hollow and vaguely

phasey and was not preferred. With Bonnie Koloc's ' Keep it To Yourself' from

Naim's CD052, the reproduced sound became

less like hi-fi and more like music. Piano was more muscular, and enjoyed a more lifelike decay.

Vocals were warmer, the sax fruitier and more 'real'. Turning the adaptor off collapsed the sound

centrally anc the instruments and soundstage

Fascia features the three-way delay control

switch, phase-reversal button and volume control,

while to the rear both line- level and speaker

terminals allow connection to your system

music improved with the Dynavector. For

instance, Sting's voice on ' Every Breath You Take'

from Synchronicity retreated more densely into the center of the mix. The out of phase setting,

while avoiding this 'thickening' effect, seemed to dislocate the imagery. Perhaps it was the slight

phaseness which disjointed the mix. This was one

of the few CD tracks I played that did not benefit in some way. In general, though, it was recordings

with natural acoustics that benefited most.

AND FOR HOME CINEMA TOO Dynavector also recommends the ADP-3 for use in

home cinema systems. This intrigued me because, though most people will chose to hear

movies in 5.1, I just use the two stereo channels

at home. I doubted whether the ADP-3 would be beneficial. How wrong I was. Although the graded delays are intended to simulate a large concert

hall or room, the adapter seemed to benefit movie sound, whether outdoors or in. With the ADP-3

turned on the sound literally opened out. The

width of the soundstage expanded and the sound

was simply more realistic. Sounds like running water, open-air ambience and conversations

As an experiment, I added a pair of Townshend super tweeters to the front pair. This added just enough sparkle...IF

became one-dimensional. Also, the pane seemed literally ' smaller' arid the sax ' harder'.

Because the sound with the ADP-3 became

warmer with increased level it could become over-rich and lacking in sparkle as the sub speaker level was increased. Consequently, it might suit brightly balanced front loJdspeakers. As an

experiment, I added a pair of Towoshend super

tweeters to the front pair. This added just enough sparkle to counter the tonal effect of the ADP-3

and opened out the sound even more. But not all

D navector and Dr Tominari

Before starting Dynavector Systems in the late 1970s,

Dr Noburo Tominari was a Professor of Engineering at the

Tokyo State University. Dr

Tominari was responsible for

the design of the Dynavector

cartridges, tonearms and head amplifiers. He was an ardent

lover of western classical music and a regular visitor to the

concert halls in Tokyo. He spent many years studying the behaviour of sound in enclosed spaces with a view to improving

the sound quality of stereo and

bringing the reproduction of recorded sound closer to that

which he heard in the concert

hall. The result was

SuperStereo, which can of course be used to enhance the

sound of any source — LP, CD,

DVD or SACD — and a radio

tuner for live broadcasts. Dr Noburo Tominari died on

24 November 2002 at the age of 75, while still managing

director of the firm he founded.

Dr Tominari's work is carried on

by his eldest son, Taro Tominari, who now heads the

company, and a dedicated

team of engineers in Tokyo.

indoors sounded more real. In the latter case,

room acoustics and voices seemed to make a cohesive whole, pin-pointing the talker — seeming

to focus the image rather than dilute it. This was

not the effect I expected. It is not a universal panacea, but the ADP-3

does work. With settings adjusted optimally

instruments take on a three-dimensionality as if brought more truthfully to life. In that sense the claim 'acoustic hologram' is not so much an

exaggeration as a description. The beauty is that

it can improve reproduction of ordinary vanilla

CDs, without requiring their replacement with multi-channel software and that is certainly an

appealing prospect. At a fiver under £ 1500, that

can't be bad value for money. • David Berriman

Supplier Dynavector SuperStereo

01202 767873 www.dynavector.co.jp

HI-FINews verdict

Not everyone will like the effect, but reproduction with stereo CD can certainly sound more real and

holographic. Regular concertgoers are those most likely to appreciate it with music. Works with AV too.

48 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNevvs www.hifinews.co.uk

Don't let them get away with

See page 76

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When detail matters

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50 JUNE 2005 www. h if i news.co.uk

Aa Ve

Vaos 6-10 This striking- looking standmounter not only oozes quality, it tempts

with a supremely smooth sound.

And despite the brand name, Aa Ve aims it at two-channel listeners...

Aa Ve Vaos 6-10 PRICE £2500/pair

Sometimes a new speaker is promoted on the grounds of novel technology, never-

before-seen materials, or interesting

engineering; and sometimes on the basis of

an appealing aesthetic. New brand Aa Ve Loudspeakers is treading the second path,

although this speaker is about much more than just a super-gloss piano lacquer finish.

Beneath those cabinets are several audio-phile tweaks that demonstrate the designer's commitment to good sound too.

The Aa Ve Vaos 6-10 is a classic two-way

standmounter, using high-quality drivers

cabinet joints are lock-mitred together, a detail rarely seen in modern speaker designs. The crossover components used are as

select as the drivers, and include ICW claritycap capacitors, large air- and iron-

cored inductors and generously-sized metal

oxide resistors. The crossover assembly is hard-wired together with silver solder, rather

than the more cost-effective PCB solution, and internal solid-core wiring is from Neotech. Two pairs of heavy-duty WBT

terminals allow bi-wiring and bi-ampi-ig.

Careful balancing of drivers, crossover

components and cabinet damping has paid off with a supremely smooth-sounding speaker. Tonally it could sound under-bright

Even with dramatic live material like Pink Floyd's 'What Shall We Do now?' it was difficult to upset the Vaos 6-10 er

from Morel ( mid/bass) and SEAS (tweeter) in a craftsman-finished 458 x 178 x 242mm

(hwd) cabinet. Impedance is 8 ohms and sensitivity is given as 86dB. The cabinet

sides take a lustrous piano black lacquer finish, while the front baffle is trimmed in

wood veneer or carbon-fibre. Three finishes are offered: sycamore and piano black, or

ebony and piano black ( both shown above);

and woven carbon-fibre and piano black.

Running down the centre of the speaker is

a recess detail, helping give the illusion of a slim cabinet. This is made up of 22mm MDF,

with a three- layer interior designed to dampen the walls, and no other filling is used inside the box. To aid stiffness, the

but that made a welcome change from the mass of ruler-flat response metal-domed designs on the market, which announce their

presence in the room with wearing treble. Toeing the cabinets inward to point directly at the listening position helped illuminate

the soundstage and gave better stereo focus.

The overall balance of the speaker allowed vocals to sit back in the mix, but with clear

articulation and a freedom from undue

emphasis on sibilants. Given the spoken word, there was a mild thickening ir, the low

midband and bass — perhaps not through level irregularities but from smear, where a

mild overhang detracted from some slam,

more noticeable on tightly played rock.


More volume helped to bring the speaker to

life, and when played loud there was little

sense of compression to limit natural dynamics. Even with dramatic live material,

such as What Shall We Do now?' [ Pink

Floyd, Is There Anybody Out There?) it was difficult to upset the easy going composure of the Vaos 6-10. But it was with classical

music that the rounded balance was best appreciated, showing a rosy and inviting

window into orchestral and chamber pieces

from Radio 3 broadcasts on digital radio.

In the prestige price band of over £2000,

loudspeakers are expected to deliver sound

quality without major flaws, and the 6-10

should not disappoint. So it is the speaker's

impeccable craftsman finish that wiil appeal to buyers looking for something different to

the familiar satin wood veneers and unadorned cabinet work. II Andrew Harrison

Supplier KJ West One

020 7486 8262

www.aa-ve.com

HI-FINews verdict

Smooth-sounding, composed and particularly inviting with classical material, this impeccably finished

speaker offers a real alternative in what is a crowded

market at its price- point. Best heard loud!

www.hifinews.co.uk Hi—FiNews JUNE 2005 51

Within the hi-fi retail industry we like to set ourselves apart - so we would like to explain to you a little about Loud & Clear.

WE ARE NOT

• Ur- kered, flat earth anoraks workirrg from our spare pedroom.

• Advocates of unreliable kit from manufacturers unliKelyto be around

in three months never mind three years.

• Pushers of the next big thing, belittling products we thought were

great only yesterday.

• Dictatorial - we dDn't subscribe to their beirg only one true sounO" -

personal taste, as important to hi-fi os it is to music.

• A g orified telly shop with a passing interest in hi-fi.

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT

• Over 100 years combined .experience in high end hi-fi between

the Glasgow and Edinburgh stores.

• Stockists of all of the worlds finest hi-fi equipment.

• Nine dedicated demonstration rooms across three central

Scotland locations.

• Full on site installation expertise.

• On site turntable set Jr) facilities and equipment service and repair.

WHAT WE ARE IS

• A team of committed professionals enthusiastic about ateating the

perfect sound for you.

• Passionate about music and presenting it in its most enjoyable form.

• Experienced at putting equipment and components together to enure

thct the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

• Dedcated to helping you achieve your audiophile goats.

WHAT NOW

So, if you are interested in Hi-fi Nirvana, call us now on 0141 221 0221

or 0131 226 6500 ta arrange a demonstration or visit us at:

www. loud-clear. co. uk

The difference is Loud & Clear.

520 St. Vincent Street,

Finnieston, Glasgow

tel 0141-221 0221

26 Hamilton Place.

Stockbridge, Edinburgh

tel 0131-276 6500

,L Loud °Clear

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www.hifinews.co.uk 52 iuNiE 200D

Auditions mains cable

Nordost

Valhal mains cable

la How can anyone justify spending this much on 2m of mains lead? Well, you might be surprised

Nordost Valhalla Reference Power PRICE £1750/2m

Esoteric cable makers are sometimes accused of peddling snake oil — selling the emperor's new clothes to the gullible and the affluent.

And nowhere is this eye/wool proximity exercise more moot than in the world of audiophile mains leads. The argument against such leads goes like this: why should a 2m long power cable from the wall socket to a piece of audio equipment make an iota of difference, when the mains power has already suffered the slings and arrows of traversing tens of metres of twin-and-earth in the walls; ana before that miles of under-road cabling?

But differences there are, between standard 'kettle leads' already included, and various accessory cables. In my exper'ence they can make

album lost about ter years on its perceived recording age, going from late 1960s mid-fi to something far fresher and more immediate. The tea chest bass sound was restored to the electric bass listed on the sleeve notes. Honky-tonk piano remained out of tune, but was now out of tune in a more compelling and, er, tuneful manner, where left and right hand parts could be heard with ease. And the frantic middle section of 'Chelsea Morning' was at once tidy and understandable, where it had been congested and confused. A trawl through the spares bin provided half a

dozer different mains cables to cross-compare, leading to a fascinatirg voyage into the merits of various leads. Once again, differences were there to be heard, with most of these leads bringing something useful over and above freebie BS cable. Some cables helped to bring out slam and weight, and aided smoothness within a darker

omplete audio systems of merit can be assembled for less than the price of one

length of this lead! u an improvement; although I've a:so heard aftermarket types that sound conspicuously worse than a normal BS ( bog standard) lead.

To experience the largest possible shift, I tried the Valhalla against a BS lead, on a Chord SPM 1200C amp, wired directly into a wall socket rather than from the usual six-way Kimber block.

Under these conditions, substituting Nordost Valhalla Reference mains cable was not a subtle upgrade. Quality of performance was lifted in all important areas: bass became supremely distinct, tangible and solid where it was once — comparatively-speaking — woolly and ambling; midrange was smoothed out and made more lustrous; high-frequency details were far better focused. A track from Fa,rport Convention's first

acoustic. Some brought sound to life with a forward-tipped brilliance that, while initially exciting, proved fatiguing even by the end of a short song. And yet, one cable excelled above all, without peer — the Valhalla Refererce power cabJe. It showed a more brightly lit presentation, certainly, although it didn't actually sound ' bright' in the perjorative sense of the word. Tape hiss would be revealed, for example; thankfully, as a separate part of the recording that could then be 'tuned-out' after being drawn into the music. I also enjoyed hearing from the recording the

true dirty sound of that old piano — not only out of tune with itself but overloading the mixing desk or tape on some peaks. Better for hearing more distortion? Paradoxiacally yes, as the original

Silver and a slow twist Seven conductive cores make up this lead, with three

1 e

ach for Live and Neutral, and one for Earth. Each .onductor comprises a 1.3mm oxygen-free copper _ and, with an extruded silver coating, 70pm thick.

is strand has two small diameter pieces of FEP lastic wound in a coarse helical spiral, so that the 'xt layer of dielectric doesn't actually touch the liver surface, leaving mostly air between metal and 'sulation. These self-contained conductors are wound a slow twist, intending to ward off RFI, and the

. whole ensemble is covered with a transparent jacket. Nordost gives power rating as 60A (whether transient

ar continuous conditions not specified).

artefacts of the recording sessioi seemed to be getting revealed, rather than the system's arbitrary interpretation of that interpretation.

While it's easier to be convinced of the efficacy of the right loudspeaker cable or interconnect in a hi-fi system, I have often sat on the fence over mairs leads. Until now. I still cannot believe the extortionate price this mains lead is offered at, when complete audio systems of merit can be assembled for less than the price of one length. But i also cannot deny that, ir the context of my own system, one cable alone truly transformed it for the better. And financially-speaking, I can't even conceive wiring each box in a system with one of these leads! al Andrew Harrison

Supplier Norcost UK 01352 730251 www.nordost.com

Hi-FiNews verdict Varballa technology in 3 mains lead, with Dual Micro Mono Filament insulation over silver-plated nipper. Result is stratospherically- priced lead that truly delivers staggering upgrade. Audition with care!


Conrad-Johnson

Premier 18LS

conrad-johnson Premier ISIS

88

Solid-state, and why not? Conrad-Johnson turned again to FETs for this relatively affordable Premier-

series pre-amp. Martin Colloms investigates

Conrad-Johnson Premier 18LS

PRICE £2395

Even for its top-of-the-range Premier electronics line, Conrad-Johnson

now builds both tube and transistor amplifiers. We've recently seen a glorious expression of the single-ended thermionic triode used for line amplification in CJ's ACT 2, which partners the Premier 350SA solid-state power amplifier beautifully — so no conflict here! The range includes other triode line

control units which are much less expensive than the ACT 2, for example the Premier 17LS2 [July '041. But now Conrad-

full-sized case with neat and attractive styling, well matched to the '350, and it uses the familiar, established, hewn-from-solid alloy remote control handset. And yes, this is a solid-state design.

Interestingly, the Premier 18 has no on/off switch. This is because it has a permanent microprocessor monitoring circuit which looks after the operating conditions, muting, etc. It requires so little power, either for control or in the amplification circuits, that it may be left powered up indefinitely, consuming hardly more than the indicator lamps — and so can be left nicely warmed up and ready for use at any time. Considering the technology and the type and quality of

For interest's sake, the FET-based Premier 18LS was compared with the

recently reviewed triode 17LS2 Johnson has also seen fit to enter at a still lower price point, with what is in real

terms possibly the least expensive Premier product at £2395. (In fact, this is a special UK-only price, offered for a limited period with the support of Conrad-Johnson; otherwise, it would retail at £3890.) The Premier 18 pre-amplifier comes in a

El components used, a long operating life may be expected of course, no tube replacements will be necessary. The controls include mute, which is the nearest thing to a standby mode.

Originally seen in the CJ's solid-state Motif line pre-amplifier nearly 20 years ago, and developed in several designs

I

such as the PF1 and PF2 since, that redoubtable double-complementary FET stage is now incorporated in the Premier 18LS. Performance gains are anticipated through rigorous selection of top quality passive components even for the power supply. These have custom polystyrene capacitors and pure metal foil resistors, costly Vishay VSJ and VSH types. The amplifying stage is single-ended

with the amplifier comprising capacitor coupled FETs operating in a push-pull configuration, each cancelling each other's mild distortion without the need for loop feedback. Only two active devices are needed per channel making for a very short signal path.

SOUND QUALITY Easy to install, the 18LS proved to be relatively uncritical of cable choice, thanks to its easy input and output matching characteristics. Backgrounds were quiet and there was sufficient gain for a variety of line sources.

First impressions were promising as the 18LS showed good retrieval of detail, its high resolution leading to rewarding sense of depth for the soundstage. Associated with this was the recovery of ambience and recorded reverberation, helping to build a sense of scale and aiding

54 JUNE 2005 HI-FiNews www.hifinews.co.uk

Lab Test pre-amplifier

source

mute • level A

epl theater

dimensionality. Good focus helped to form stable images and sound stage width was also of the right calibre.

For interest's sake, comparing the '18 with the recently reviewed triode 17LS2, the tonal balance is cooler, a little 'solid state' if you will, but certainly not in the more generally accepted sense of the term as heard in some of the competition, where a certain 'whiteness' and brightness of timbre is rather more evident. Some subtle compensation in the test system was easily achieved by locating the speakers a little nearer the wall behind them to add a touch of warmth. While the imaging was to a high

standard the dynamics were thought fairly restrained, though in context about right for the price. Likewise the rhythmic elements were not found to be outstanding — though by the general performance of much equipment on the market, it would rate better than average here. The fault, if

e •

e4)

No on/off switch: `Mute' gives a standby mode

you can call it that is, I suppose, the fine performance level already set by more expensive Conrad-Johnson components in this regard.

With extended use, the clean bass lines, the open detailed treble showing only a hint of glaze and no distortion of the rough

The listening system

For this review the system used included Naim CDS3 and Marantz CD-7 CD players; power amplification by Conrad-Johnson Premier 350SA, Krell FPB 650cx,

Naim NAP 250 and Audio Note Ongaku ( integrated); Quad ESL 63, Avalon Eidolon and BBC LS3/5A ( 15 ohm) loudspeakers; and Transparent XL, Cardas Gold Reference

and Wireworld Equi lox cables. Other line control units used for reference included the Conrad-Johnson ACT 2 pre-amp and Creek OBH-22 passive controller.

Inside: custom polystyrene capacitors are used

or grainy variety, the essentially clear, even vivid presentation, helped build the score. With a slight exaggeration of ' s' sounds on vocals, these remained properly presented in the overall perspective and weren't found obtrusive. Viewed overall, and taking into account

all kinds of music programme, the Premier 18LS returned a solid performance,

www.hifinews.co. u k Iii-FiNews JUNE 2005 55

goriann Sebastian would- have been ver yroucl.

The Kontrapunkt series from Ortofon. Named as a sign of respect for possibly the greatest, and the last, of Johan Sebastian Bach's works - The XIXth Contrapunctus.

From around £400 and available from most quality stores.

Distributed by Henley Designs, 01235 511166, www.henleydesigns.co.uk

56 JUNE 2005 www.hifinews.co.uk

Lab Test pre-amplifier

At a still lower price point, this is effectively the least expensive Conrad-Johnson Premier product yet at £23951,

scoring 28 points for quality on my usual

subjective marking scale.

CONCLUSION

Building on an established pedigree, CJ

has created a useful contender. It

combines some of the sound quality

virtues of the single-ended triode, zero-

feedback approach with the neutral bass

and overall dependability of solid state,

this achieved through proprietary low

power FET circuitry, the design has good

•

conrad-johnson

•

• • • • • • • •

•

•

111•111

Rear panel provides five line inputs plus two pairs of processor/monitor loop input/outputs

input and output matching, and should

last for years. It is designed to left powered

up ready for immediate use, so no warm-

up is required.

The '18LS performed well in the lab

with no surprises or problems, though

remember that it does invert absolute

phase. Some dealers fail to get this right

when demonstrating such equipment, and

with the right system and programme it

may well make a difference.

Build quality and finish is to the usual

very high Premier standard, and taking

into account the fine sound quality and

the well thought-out user interface, the

omens are right for recommendation. III

Supplier

Audiofreaks

020 8948 4153

www.conradjohnson.com

HI-FiNews verdict

With some sonic virtues of the single-ended triode,

zero-feedback approach plus the neutral bass and

overall dependability of solid state, the LS18 comes

at an attractive concessionary price for UK buyers.

Lab Report

This product uses FETs both for amplification

and switching. These devices are subject to

some tolerance variation, and at the extreme

levels used on test some dissimilarity between

channels was observed. But none of these

differences took the product beyond its

specification, nor did the dissimilarity affect

channel balance, which was excellent at all

volume settings, inputs and frequencies.

Distortion is specified at 0.1%, or —60dB,

with no frequency or level quoted. At unity

gain, IV in and out, the right channel gave a

total harmonic distortion of —84dB, and the

left —73dB; conversely, they then gave an

equal distortion result at 0.3V input, 3.8V out.

Investigating a little more, if I took —60dB

of distortion as a practical limit, the left

channel input overload level was 20dB IHF, or

5 volts, while the right could accept 9V, nearly

30dB IHF. Both these results are fine.

As regards maximum output while both

could 'do' 9 volts for the —60dB criterion, the

left channel could produce 5.3V, while

confusingly, the right could do 3.9V — both

more than sufficient to drive any power amp.

Frequency response, for a 100k ohm test load,

is very wide; for —0.5dB, 6.2Hz to 93kHz, and

for —3dB, better than 2Hz to 200kHz [ Fig 1,

red trace]. Dependent on a 4pF output

capacitor, that 180 ohm output impedance will

increase at low frequencies. I checked the

response for a 9.9k ohm load since there are a

few power amplifiers of this input value — but I

doubt that the —0.5dB point, now raised to

16.3Hz, will cause any concern in actual use.

Very low IHF intermodulation distortion was

noted (0.54V rms input), just 0.001%,

—100dB. At IHF levels, 0.5V input and output,

harmonic distortion was vanishingly low,

second and third only, about equal and over

100dB below the ' 5dB' reference level [Fig 2.

For a CD maximum input of 2 volts, a 2 volt

power amp drive output, the distortion was still

moderate, though with more third harmonic,

but only at —78dB, or just 0.013% [Fig 3].

Rated at 22dB, the gain was almost spot on

at 21.9dB, a little over ' 10x'. Flat out, 300mV

input gave 3.8 volts output from a quite low

source impedance of 180 ohms. A volume

setting of ' 63' indicates unity gain. While the

volume scale is 00 to 99, the highest values

have some doubling up. Thus 98' and '97' are

equal at — 1.36dB, ' 96' and '95' also at

—2.72dB, and ' 94' and ' 93' at —3.72dB. '92'

and '91' give an equal —5dB, ' 90' and '89',

—5.8dB. Here the range proper begins, with

volume steps of about 0.7dB right down to the

penultimate '01' for —64dB. ' 00' is mute.

Input impedance is moderate, typically 29k

ohm with a minimum of 27.5k ohm at low

volume and a maximum of 103k ohm at full

gain, volume set at ' 99'.

Electrical noise levels were low; I recorded

signal-to-noise ratios of 80.1dB, CCIR lkHz

weighted, 88dBA, and 84.2dB unweighted,

including hum, which value was close to

negligible. Channel separation was fine, better

than 85dB at low and high frequencies, and

still 68dB by 20kHz. Volume tracking and

channel balance were excellent throughout.

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Between them, Garrard's 301 and 401 covered the golden age of the LP. Ken Kessler has the definitive guide to these desirable decks

Under 65? A vinyl addict of the post- Linn

persuasion? Then don't go poring over old hi-fi magazines, books or yearbooks.

It will only aggravate your ulcer because, it the

amount of wordage given to what they quaintly

used to refer to as ' motor units' is any indication,

they didn't think much of turntables back then.

In the 1950s and 1960s, audio hobbyists didn't listen to turntables per se. Hi-fi ' how to'

books and yearbooks gave tens of pages to

cartridges ( or ' heads' or ' pick-ups') but only two or three pages for the decks themselves. They

thought that the cartridge was responsible for, oh, let's say 99% of the job of carrying the signal

from the groove to the phono stage. The ' motor unit' and arm? Necessary only to rotate the disc

and carry the pick-up. In reductio, all the arm had to do was allow the

cartridge to traverse the disc with minimal

tracking error, presenting it with a stable

platform, eg no rattling from the bearings.

Stereo changed all of that: SME, Ortofon and others proved, after the advent of two-channel

playback virtually quadrupled the demands on a

cartridge, that it wasn't gee so base and

straightforward a task. As for the turntable itself? If you read the writ.ngs of patrarchs Wilson,

Watts and Kelly, you surmise that a deck need only to rotate perfectly at the cesignated speeds

of 33 1/3, 45 or 78,pm, witfout wow, flutter,

rumble or cogg.ng effects. Oh. and it wouldn't

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turntables, were of idler or rim drive, with only minimal isolation afforded by the suspensions;

that might mean merely something as

rudimentary as rubber ' mushrooms' or leaf

spr,ngs. At the pinnacle, slugging it out to this day among anachrooffles, were two rivals: the

Switzerland's Thorens TD- 124 and the UK

Garrards are so adored by Japanese audiophiles that they find homes in

$100,000-plus systems

hurt if the deck's motor was sr ielded so you could use cartridges from Decca. End of story. Stability

was all, while addressing isolation was a given;

microphony, for example, is not a new problem.

But magical sonic properties were not attriDuted

to the rotatirg portion of the equation. Which is not to say that there wasn't a

hierarchy. In the 1950s, reference- or broadcast-grade decks. referred to as 'transcription'

ti contender, the Garrard 301. They would remain at the tcp of the tree, from the dawn of the LP to the

arrival of the AR turntabie, the latter heralding the

efficacy of belt-drive and a three-point suspended sub-cnassis, as emulated by Thorens with the TD- 150, Aristor's RD- 11, then the Linn LP- 12

and countless otners.

Yet there remains a diamond-hard core of 301 fars, and there's a reason why: despite the lack of


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suspension, despite the rim drive, a 301 can sound simply amazing. Even with an average age

of 45 years, the Garrard 301 and its replacement,

the superior- in-every-way 401, still command

respect. As you can imagine, they are worshipped

by those sorts of audiophiles who take seriously

the joke about how many of the breed are required

to change a light- bulb, worshipping without irony

a generation of record decks that can in no way

run as quietly as a well-designed belt-drive or

even certain underrated direct-drives. But nostalgia being what it is, the 301 and

401 are so adored by Japanese audiophiles in

particular that they find homes in $ 100,000-plus

systems, usually housed in custom-made plinths and bearing four-figure price-tags.

OLDEST NAME IN AUDIO

Garrard itself is — technically speaking — probably

the oldest name in audio because it is part of the

family that gave us Garrard and Company, appointed Crown Jewellers of London in 1721.

Thus, it can claim — in 16 years time — that it is

three centuries old. This is no more of a stretched

conceit than a modern bank tracing its roots back

to a shipping or trading company from the 1600s.

The part of the DNA that led to turntables evolved in time for the Great War when, in 1914, Garrard

was asked to manufacture precision range finders for the British Artillery, possessing as it did, both

the craftsmen and the necessary machinery.

Thus, in 1915, the Garrard

Engineering and

Manufacturing Company Ltd

was formed with Major S H

Garrard as Chairman and Mr C E

Newbegin as Managing Director, from a factory installed n the

premises the White Heather Laundry '•\ in Willesden, London. When the war

ended, Garrard segued into consumer products. Luckily for us, they took note of the

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Fashion conscious: the slick-looking 401 replaced the long-

running 301 in 1965

Garrard 301s and 401s are among the easiest vintage turntables to run in the

21st Century, thanks to Loricraft IF

boom in gramophone sales and with it a demand

for spring-wound motors. ( Remember: Great Britain once led the world when it came to clock

and watch manufacturing.) Garrard's audio outpt started off with the

Garrard Number 1 Spring Wound Gramaphone

Motor. In 1919, they moved to new premises in Swindon, making motors for Columbia, Decca,

HMV, Lugton, Selecta, Coppock and many others.

In 1930, though, with electric motors replacing

the wind-ups, the first Garrard-branded record-player appeared.

Garrard decided to make a top-quality AC

motor as a prestige model, a direct-drive motor for the heart of what became the Garrard Model 201. (Yes: direct drive.) It found success quickly, being

adopted by the BBC and other broadcasters, by cinemas and by those protean creatures who

www.hifinews.co.uk Hi-Fitgews JUNE 2005 59

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would later be called audiophiles. Designed originally for 78rpm records, it was later modified to play the 33 1/3rpm LPs and 45s, and was the

first of what were later to be called transcription turntables. It featured a 32-pole induction motor

designed by Monty Mortimer, mounted in a

pressed steel chassis. Being direct drive, it featured a complex mechanical speed governor.

The 201 remained the flagship model through the Second World War years, during which

Garrard, naturally, helped the war effort with

military work. In 1945, after the death of Major Garrard, all links with the jewellery strand of the brand were severed, and The Garrard Engineering and Manufacturing Company Ltd became a separate entity with Mr H V Slade as Managing Director. By this time, with the war over, the

public wanted a change from austerity, so gramophone sales escalated. A couple of interim

models would appear to exploit the new 10in and 12in, 33 1/3rpm and 7in 45rpm vinyl records, as

well as 78s. They needed, too, to accommodate a new generation of lightweight pick-ups, including

RECOMMENDED

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the grease bearing models are much more rare,

the prices are commensurately higher. Best estimates for sales of the 301, according

to the archive material in the possession of

Loricraft — the keeper of the Garrard flame —

suggest circa 65,000 units. In 1965, Garrard launched the 401 to replace

the 301. In addition to Eric Marshall's styling

makeover, a more severe look in metallic charcoal

with chrome details, much was changed underneath though the deck remained,

fundamentally, the same rim-drive behemoth. Most notably, the motor had increased shielding

to allow it to be used with Deccas, Grados and other cartridges susceptible to hum, and so was de-rated from 16W to 12W. The 301's motor had

aluminium endplates and was ventilated, while the 401 had iron endplates and was not

ventilated. In place of the 301's flat thrust pad,

the 401 featured a raised phosphor bronze thrust pad, while the variable speed range increased

from the 301's +/-2% to +/-3%. By 1977, when

the 401 was put out to pasture, approximately

Secondhand values for Garrards can range from £ 100 for a basket case to

four figures for an early 301

magnetic cartridges. Then, in October 1954, on the eve of the dawn

of stereo and thus concurrent with the global

explosion in interest in ' high fidelity', Garrard

unleashed the 301. Robust, minimalist,

beautifully built, it featured a massive motor

driving an idler, which drove the platter via its rim. The unit consisted of a die-cast aluminium

base, enamelled in grey ( later changed to a creamy white) and featured grease bearings,

changed to oil bearings in 1957. And, yes, there are those who prefer the former to the latter. As

74,000 had been sold.

ANORAKIA

Garrard 301s and 401s are among the easiest vintage turntables to run in the 21st Century,

thanks to the efforts of Loricraft. This company —

also known for a superb record cleaning machine — buys and sells used decks, refurbishes them to any level you require, provides power supplies,

idler wheels and arm-boards, and even produces the 501 with official permission to call it a

Garrard. Along with companies such as Shindo,

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the 301's idler wheel rim-drive

system is revealed. The 1969 price list

[left] makes intriguing reading

Zenn and others, Loricraft also

produces plinths; my own 401 resides in a

magnificent Slate Audio plinth, but Slate Audio seems now to be inactive. Shindo also

manufactures ultra- high-quality bearings and

replacement platters. Amusingly, mods and accessories for Garrards

have been around for decades. The original SME

2000 plinth featured the necessary hardware to provide a suspension for the Garrard (or the TD-124), while the Black Knight Rumble Cure, circa

1973, was shown with a foam mat, record weight

and other accoutrements on a 401. The

turntables, however, are fundamentally robust

and good-sounding, so major surgery needn't be part of your agenda. Shopping for any used

turntable requires common sense — we're talking about mechanical wear and tear rather than the

replacement of the odd valve or resistor [see

'Typical refurbishment costs' panel, right] Secondhand values range from £ 100 for a basket

case to four figures for an early 301.

When seeking out a 301, note that there are

essentially three models to consider. The earliest is the grey, grease-bearing model, replaced by the

cream-enamel grease-bearing model, followed by

the third, the oil-bearing model of 1957. If you put 'Garrard 301' into Google, you will come up

with nearly 24,000 sites, and the bulk of them

will address the 301 'oil vs grease' debates, and more importantly, 301 vs 401. My own take? The

301 looks better, the 401 sounds better. I expect to get bombarded with hate mail for that remark,

but I'm adamant. Terry O'Sullivan at Loricraft will, with gun to

head, foot on neck and electrodes to testes, admit

that the 401 is a superior machine despite what it says on the Loricraft website. I've heard demos

between the 301 and 401, and... let me repeat

that I own a 401. This, however, will not deter

collectors, especially those with a high sushi content in their diets, from preferring 301s, or

from choosing grease over oil lubrication. And the

301 is far, far cooler- looking, especially in cream. But such are the characteristics of collector mania and anachrophilia, so the 301 vs 401 war

will be waged as long as people spin vinyl.

Among the observations gleaned from the above-mentioned internet sites (and from an

60 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNews www. h if i news.co. u k

Classic kit Garrard turntables

11-hour flight seated next to Terry), the consensus seems to be that the 401 was a better

design, but the 301 was better-made. Loricraft's design of the 501 was intended to find the best

of both. Terry says that, ' In developing our model

Garrard 501, we have tried to put right some of

This sturdy box contained

301 Transcription Motor,

mounting springs, and hardback instruction book

A 301 can certainly make

an attractive installation

!belowl even if the Rega

arm is out of period!

flagships.' To put the price of an original into

context, a Garrard 401 in 1965 cost £27 19s plus purchase tax of £4 1 ls. At the same time, an

SME Model 3009 sold for £21 7s plus £3 1 ls

3d. And an Odofon SPU/G m-c cartridge would

have added £ 18 plus purchase tax of £2 17s 9d

The consensus seems to be that the 401 was a better design, but the 301

was better-made

the design weaknesses of both the 301 and the

401. These were the short cuts of mass

production; maybe what the 501 has is ' long cuts' — hence the price. All 501 parts are retro-fittable

to the previous decks, primarily the bearings,

platters, motors and power supplies.' Amusingly, Loricraft is right on the money when

it says that, 'Translating Garrard's original prices

into modern money, a deck with a modest arm

would cost the equivalent of £ 1000. As far as we

can see, this did not cover their costs, so the

cheaper turntables must have subsidised these

to the overall bill. The average weekly wage in the UK in 1965? £ 19 1 ls 9d. So you're looking at

three weeks' wages for a decent front-end.

In 2005, the national average wage is £430

per week, so £ 1300 would be the equivalent allocation. A decent Garrard 301 or 401, a

secondhand SME 3009, an Ortofon m-c in good nick — well, I just found with three mouse clicks a

401 for £295, a mint 3009 for £ 160 and an SPU

for £ 150. Add in Loricraft restoration at £650

and you have... £ 1255.

Sounds like a bargain to me.

Collectors' Contacts

Garrard and Loricraft Audio

4 Big Lane,

Lambourn, Berks RG11 8XQ

Office Phone/Fax: 01488-12261

Workshop Phone:01488-71307 email. [email protected]

www.garrard501 com

http.//www.6moons com/audioreviews/

garrard/301.html www.analogue-classics.com/htrnl/

garrard 301.html

Typical refurbishment costs

As an example of what you should expect to

pay for the refurbishment of a deck,

Loricraft charges the following:

Standard servicing starts at £200 Restoring a Garrard 301: typically £900

Restoring a Garrard 401: typically £650 Full remanufacturing: typically H5041150

Plinths: from £275 depending on the wood

Technical descriptions

D 301 Motor: shaded-pole induction motor in heavy

cast casing suspended on six tension springs, magnetically screened, speeds 33 1/3, 45, 78rpm

Chassis: die-cast aluminium Platter: rim-driven. Machined and balanced

die-cast aluminium; 12in diameter; weight 61b. Fitted with rubber mat. Strobe markings optional extra

Mains frequency: 50 or 60 cycles according to pulley fitted

Wow: <0.2% Flutter: <0.05% Rumble: 'almost non-existent'

Speed range: 32-34rpm; 44-46rpm; 76-80rpm approx.

Dimensions: 13.25 x 14.5 x 6in (whd); recommended mounting board, 18 x 18in

Weight: 16Ib Price: £ 19 plus purchase tax ( 1956)

GARRARD 401 Motor: completely screened spring- mounted

shaded- pole 'transcription' motor, speeds 33 1/3, 45, 78 rpm, adjustable by eddy current brake

Chassis: Die-cast aluminium plate Platter: 6 lb. machined aluminium with gear-cut illuminated strobe markings on rim; statically balanced, anti-static mat

Frequency: 50 or 60 cycles according to pulley fitted

Wow and Flutter: less than 0.05% RMS Rumble: 'almost non-existent' Dimensions: 13% x 14% x6%in (whd) Price: £27 19s plus £4 11s

purchase tax ( 1965)


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Opinion

The lower the frequency, the

larger a surface must be in order for it to act as a

reflector or barrier

John Crabbe

_i_ he shifts between different listening positions

discussed here last month prompted a friend to assume that this had involved the continual shunting back and

forth of my settee, because it was from the centre of this that the changes in sound quality had been observed. He suggested (tongue slightly in cheek) that the accompanying physical effort and delays could have cast doubts on the reliability of aural judgements by raising blood-pressure and subverting memory.

However, lest others have similar qualms, please note that before manhandling said furniture, I simply sat on a stool pushed up against it at front-centre, which conveniently positioned my head at the same height while moving it

forward by the required amount. This provided initial evidence of the changes, so I then acquired the knack of slipping quickly between the two positions, an oft-repeated but effortless manoeuvre enacted in conjunction with the manipulation of the player's repeat/skip options to enable rapid access to various items for NB comparison.

Only then was the settee itself moved, when after verifying the

sonic changes, I contrived from the rear to swing my head back and forth between old and new locations, which facilitated instant assessment while the music was playing. This confirmed that the differences really were due to the shifted listening position, not some spurious acoustical side-effect. So within the constraints of a one-man operation, the improvements were real, a point I thought worth passing on to other experimentally inclined folk with acoustically troublesome rooms and loudspeakers subtending an unduly small angle at the listening position.

SEEING RED Angles and positions were also central to a recent optical experience that suggested acoustic parallels. I had paused to stare at the view out of the window, where the scene was overcast and the light diffused. Then I noticed that a large area of wall and door in a room corner just to the window's right looked strikingly pink rather than its usual cream and white. But moving closer caused the pink to vanish, when I realised that the effect had arisen from the red cover of a scrapbook I was holding, which had been angled such as to deflect some of the incoming light into the corner.

It was astonishing that even after reflection by a mere 38 x 25cm object, such unremarkable greyish light had sufficient luminance in the red band to produce such a

startling effect — a thought which turned my mind to matters of wavelength, frequency, and reflections in general. Everyday oojects have dimensions vastly greater than the wavelengths of light, and therefore reflect according to

colour or sheen regardless of size. But audible sound occupies some ten octaves against visible light's one, with wavelengths spanning 2cm to 20m — sufficient to accommodate everything from the length of one's garden to the diameter of a toothpaste tube.

This creates size-related problems for reflectivity. as (with the exception of enclosed air-columns, etc) the lower the frequency, the larger a surface must be in order to act as a reflector or barrier. Thus while a rigid object with my scrapbook's dimensions will reflect sound from around lkHz upwards, it would progressively ignore anything berow that frequency, having little effect, for instance, on voiced (as

against fricative) speech sounds. Yet room-sized walls suffer no such limitation.

RALPH WEST Now I mention this because I was about to open the above door whew distracted by the pinkness, and my spontaneous exclamation of surprise, uttered in a corner location, was joined, crucially, by a squeak when the door was opened. I say crucially because this combination of sound and circum-stance instantly reminded me of Ralph West, and of the fact that I'd omitted to mention two notable aspects of his sonic sensibility in the Nov '04 obituary note. When in educative mode, Ralph would illustrate the

influence of room reflections by talking continuously as he moved around, first in mid-room, then at a position near a wall, and finally tight into a corner, when his voice would become notably more full-bodied due to the combination of reflective reinforcement and the excitation of eigentones. In contrast, his other trick ( more as engineer than academic) was always to have on hand a small oil-can for dealing with rusty hinges, being every bit as diligent in the elimination of unwanted squeaks as he was in the encouragement of good sound reproduction.

In particular, I'll never forget the occasion when he visited my house to hear the latest built-in flan speaker set-up, but halted on the spot as we entered the room in order to silence the door's squeak, a free-of-charge quasi-acoustical service that he confessed to providing wherever he went. II

www.hifinews.co.uk HI-FiNews JUNE 2005 63

Home entertainment powered by z e h

On following pages...

66 SIM2 HT500E projector Three of Ti's latest DLP chips help boost this top-of-the-range projector into a new league.

70 Rotel RSP-1068 processor Light on gadgets but strong on performance, a processor for the home cinema audiophile

73 HDMI/Firewire update Delivering multichannel digital audio by FireWire or HDMI brings new challenges for designers.

74 Fujitsu P5OXHA40 plasma Equipped with Fujitsu's AVM I I processor and an HDMI input, this 50-incher is HD-Ready and able

79 View from the Inside Jon Thompson on the brave new world of digital cinema and the end of the Dolby Digital era

Samsung's latest monster

[above]: an 82in LCD display

Left: HD and Wireless-Ready 'ClearLCD' display from Philips

AVTech's monthly newsround with David Perry

As if boasting the world's largest plasma display wasn't enough [AVTech, April], Samsung has repeated its triumph by unveiling the world's

largest LCD panel at this year's CeBIT show in

Hannover, Germany. The 82in monster, the 82F5,

begins life on the production line of Samsung's 7th-

generation South Korean plant. This factory, a joint venture with Sony, can produce substrates large enough to yield not one, but two 82in panels. Each

LCD panel offers a 1080p resolution, a rated

1200:1 contrast ratio, 600cd/m2 brightness, a wide

colour gamut (around 95% of NTSC) and an -8ms pixel response time. No price or availability has been

announced, but if you need to ask... As LCD TVs begin to eat into plasma's market

territory in the popular sizes, perhaps OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays will take over where

LCD rules, in the sub-30in category. Samsung's 21in full-HD OLED display is a prime example, touting a

5000:1 contrast ratio, fast response times and an impressive colour performance. This new technology

promises certain advantages - it doesn't require a back light, so is thinner and lighter than LCD. It also

offers better viewing angles and uniformity and can

be produced using older-generation LCD plants,

which bodes well for competitive pricing.

A high-definition version of PixelPlus 2, the Philips image enhancement technology, and a new

'stereo' lighting feature called Ambilight 2 will feature in the latest Philips plasma and LCD TVs,

due for release between June and September.

Plasma price and model details are tentative, but the range looks to comprise of 42in 42PF9630 (£2499)

and 50in 50PF9630 (£3499) Plasma TVs and three LCD TVs, the 32in 32PF9830 (£2299), 37PF9830 (£2799) and 42in 42PF9830 (£3799). All models

are HD Ready and feature Philips' Streamium

wireless technology, using WiFi 802.11g to connect

to a PC or other compatible device. The 32in LCD is the most highly specified, with two sets of HDCP-

compliant digital inputs, three SCARTs, a hi-def component input, two USB 2.0 sockets, WiFi, Flash memory card reader, motorised swivel stand and Philips' new Actura backlighting technology. Actura

features a scanning and dimmable array of HCFL (Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamps) for improved

motion rendering, better black levels and contrast

and a rated 300% increase in light output. Actura falls under Philips' ClearLCD trademark banner.

VIERA RANGE GETS HD-READY

By now, Panasonic's latest Viera Plasma and LCD TV

range should be appearing at a dealer near you. The

PDP range includes a standard definition PA50 series, the TH-42PE50 (£ 1950) and TH-37PE50

(1670) plus a 'HD Ready' PV500 series populated

by the TH-50PV500 (£4550), TH-42PV500

(£2400) and TH-37PV500 (£2149). These new, 8th-generation (G8) PDP TVs include 37in, 42in and 50in panels with advances in plasma discharge

efficiency leading to improvements in both image

contrast and brightness. Similarly, an improved sub-

pixel processing renders cleaner diagonal lines and details, while its 11-bit ROB processing improves

grey scale and colour performance.

Meanwhile, the Viera LCD range includes models from 23in to 32in, an HD-Ready D(500 series and non-HD compatible LI50 series. All use Panasonic's

new signal processing enhancement technologies,

comprising LCD Al, the Viera Colour Management System and sub-pixel Controller. The Viera LCD

models include the TX-32LXD50 (£ 1795), TX-

26D050 (£1175) and TX-23LXD50 ( 990) in its 50-series and TX-321)0500 (£2000) and, available from July, TX-26U0500 (£1450) in its 500-series. Incidentally, both the 500-series Plasma and LCD

Ns include SD memory and PC card slots for photo

OLED Display

from Samsung


Yamaha's YSP-1 speaker system [top of page]

uses a host of miniature drivers and DSP to create surround from a single unit [above]

iiewing and MPEG4 video record/playback.

Yamaha's Sound Projector, the YSP-1, is its

xie-box solution to the conflict between plausible

surround sound and the need to maintain domestic iarmony. While this is not the first attempt to

)roduce convincing front, centre, side and rear

sound effects from a single source, Yamaha's slant the technology is arguably the most integrated,

;tylish and affordable offering yet. £799 buys you

:his slice of Digital Sound Projector technology, ieveloped by 1 Ltd of Cambridge and made under

icense by Yamaha. The 1m wide box comprises a selection of analogue and digital audio inputs, 42 iigital amplifiers, a sub-woofer output and remotely

:ontrolled audio decoder featuring Dolby Digital,

)olby Pro-Logic II, DTS 5.1 and DTS Neo 6.

The device is designed to integrate as seamlessly

e possible with today's flat panel displays and even

ncludes a wall-mount option. As it's virtually the

iame width as most 42in TVs, the YSP-1 can be

)ositioned neatly beneath such displays or within a

:abinet. The YSP-1 uses 1 Ltd's patented sonic

)eam processing and proprietary digital ]mplifier chips first developed in 2001

]nd demonstrated in 2002 by Pioneer in ts PDSP-1. Sound is processed to fire

ither directly at the listener(s) and/or fia reflecting off walls to provide for side

Ind rear effects. Four listening modes

ire selectable, ranging from simple

;tereo to full 5.1 surround sound.

British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB), has

Innounced a few more technical tit-bits

.egarding its proposed High Definition

[V service. Thomson has been selected

Pocket Imager: a technology looking for a market?

as the initial manufacturer of the set-top box for the new service. This offers a Personal Video Recorder

capapility, similar to that of the existing Sky+ box. Confirming that BSkyB was on track to launch HDTV

in 2006, the broadcaster estimates that almost two million 'HD Ready' sets will have been sold in the UK

by the end of that year.

BSkyB states 'although the HDTV box can be

connected to any kind of TV, customers will require an HD Ready' TV set with a display of 26in or more to enjoy the full benefits of HDTV picture quality'.

Broadcasters on Sky's HDTV system will be free to

choose either 720p or 1080i formats, as they deem

fit, and MPEG4 rather than MPEG2 has been selected as the digital compression standard, leading

us to postulate that video bit-rates are likely to be delivered in the 5-15Mb/s range.

POCKET PROJECTORS

Finally, and in distinct contrast to the massive three-chip DLP projectors we have reviewed in recent

issues, news has reached us that both Samsung and BenQ have jumped aboard the micro DLP projector bandwagon with the likes of InFocus, LG Electronics

and Mitsubishi. No one seems absolutely sure which

market sector is best placed to benefit from these diminutive display devices. Currently, these micro, or

'pocket' projectors use LED light sources, a DLP SVGA imaging system, no colour wheel or high

voltage transformer and can run off battery power for

two or more hours. The next must-have gadget for the

3G picture-phone generation, perhaps? •

Mentioned in dispatches...

1 Ltd BenQ UK

Infocus LG Electronics UK

Panasonic UK Ltd

Philips

Pioneer GB Ltd

Samsung

Sky Yamaha

www.1Iimited.ccm 01223 422290 www.benq.co.uk 01442 301000

www.infocus.corn/uk 0800 0286470 www.lgelectronics.co.uk 0870 873 5454

www.panasonic.co.uk 08705 357357

www.philips.co.uk 0870 601 0101

www.pioneer.co.uk 01753 789500

www.samsung.co.uk 0870 242 0303

www.sky.com 08702 404040

www.yamaha-uk.com 01923 233166

iAVTech News

Statement

Well-heeled enthusiasts are spoilt for choice when it comes to high-end, three-chip DLP projectors, as

we add SIM2's fabulous HT500E to AVTech's roster of recommendations.

Showgoers who have already glimpsed one of these engines at work in a Sony Blu-ray Disc demonstration will already have some

idea of the stunning imagery that's possible. So anyone who takes the plunge

today must surely do so on the promise of this glorious, High Definition future. Sky

HD and Blu-ray or HD-DVD cannot come fast enough!

Hang-on-the-wall displays are also

improving generation-by-generation, as our review of Fujitsu's new 50in plasma serves

to illustrate. This is the first HD- Ready panel to benefit from the Mk H version of

Fujitsu's AVM processing technology,

which impressed David Perry in his August

'04 Masterclass. Are the results worth the

wait? Turn to page 74 to find out.

Relying less on DSP and rather more on

tried-and-tested analogue engineering, we have the first technical review of Rotel's

RSP-1068 AV processor [ page 70]. And

appearances are deceptive, as there's more than a flavour of the radical RSP-1098

about this conventional- looking model.

To wrap up, we are delighted to have Jon

Thompson back on stream with his musings from the professional sector [ page

79]. But don't miss our look at the pros

and cons of transmitting digital audio over

FireWire and HDMI [ page 73].

Paul Miller, Editor, AVTech

• Comprehensive Test Reports from the QC

Suite are available to download at

www.milleraudioresearch.com,'ay.‘ech

vww.hifinews.co.uk leRNave JUNE 2005 65

SIM2

HT500E

SIM2 HT500E three-chi DIP ro'ector PRICE L23,UUU

Despite their extravagant cost, there seems to be no shortage of high-end, three-chip DLP projectors available to the well-heeled home

cineast, even it two or three of their number possess all the aesthetic grace of a milk crate. Which is just one of the reasons why we were delighted to be given exclusive access to the 'Evolution' version of SIM2's three-chip HT500 projector — at last, a solution to compete with the graceful curves of the Screenplay 777 [see AVTech, Nov '04]. The dark grey cabinet sported by the HT500E was

crafted by Italian designer, Giorgio Revoldini, while the internal technology is a mix of TI's light engine plus Faroudja's FLI2310 DCDi deinterlacer and scaler, albeit with a SIM2 slant. The basic projector, if this is not a gross misuse of the term, costs some £23k and is offered with a choice of five lenses spanning 0.64 to

, c

-

5.6:1 zoom. All include a motorised zoom and focus adjustment off the partnering remote control or via the

control pad on the rear of the case. There's also a lens shift and digital keystone facility to assist in the HT500E's installation. The so-called 'Link' version of the HT500E costs

another £3k and includes a separate media box, the DigiOptic Image Processor, that offers some 12 digital/analogue video inputs. This hub then connects to the projector via a proprietary (digital) optical link, supporting data rates up to 5.5Gbps (uncompressed HD requires about 2.2Gbps) over a maximum 500m in length. This allows the media receiver to be located with your source equipment and a single conduit passed up to the projector, not unlike the strategy adopted by Pioneer for its plasma displays. The guts of the HT500E are identical in both

standard and Link versions, its 'Evolution' suffix refering to SIM2's use of TI's DC2 (Dark Coating) HD2+ DMD chips, one for each red, green and blue channel. Each chip has a native 1280x720p (16:9) resolution, so

66 JUNE 2005 Hi-FINews www.hifinews.co.uk

The apex of SIM2's Grand Cinema range also represents

the peak of home cinema performance. An AVTech exclusive by Paul Miller

the HT500E is as HD-Ready as you'll get. However, while this is the first three-chipper to use the DC2/HD2+ chips, it will soon be overtaken by the FTP (Fast Transit Pixel) DC3/HD2+ chips about to be fitted into DP's Mercury system JAVTech, May 2005). Either way, the advantages of the Dark Coating DMDs include improved contrast, less on-screen motion and dithering artefacts, further assisted by the faster driver chipset and smaller via (the dot in the middle of the square pixel) of the Plus version of the HD2.

All manufacturers are obliged to source their light engines from a TI-accredited supplier, which typically means Delta in Taiwan. This includes SIM2, which brings its own colour correction in the form of a red filter and proprietary processing software called Live Colours Management. Fully integrated into the HT500E, this auto-calibration procedure measures the output of the primaries, which are then stored as a reference for the red, green and blue colour points of the three DLP channels. The calibration also extends to its 12-bit greyscale processing, yielding a very uniform

1AVTech Exclusive Review

dynamic range from 10TRE (very dark grey) to iuulRE (peak white). Although the fundamental calibration is performed at SIM2's factory, this can be repeated only via the service menu accessible to SIM2's dealership. At the consumer level, SIM2 provides access to a

Colour Temperature option that offers a 36-point grid around the notional 6500K white point, giving the user a wide (10,000K-6000K) choice of colour temperatures. This is mapped to the single value illustrated in our 'Recommended Settings', but do note that higher

ql Driven from Arcam's DV79 (576p) or Denon's DVD-Al XV (720p), the

HT500E outstrips the quality of DVD

settings will result in a bluer-looking picture. There's still plenty to tamper with, however, including a Picture Menu that covers brightness, contrast, tint, sharpness and filtering and an Image Menu that offers a wide range of picture aspects plus a highly configurable gamma correction.

LIGHTS OUT The Minolta lens, itself part of the light engine package, suffers a slight ' flare' that's visible on very close inspection of a crosshatch or other pattern used to set the projector's focus. Nevertheless, viewed from an appropriate distance, its images look sharp, detailed and inherently natural.

It's important to remember that while these big three-chippers can sustain massive images, don't be tempted to over-size the picture for what might be a relatively short viewing distance. 'Romania has never looked so good', commented one

viewer as the mock-up of North Carolina from Cold Mountain passed across the screen. The sense of depth il-id contrast is vividly depicted in the various wooded scenes but so is the faint MPEG noise visible in the

blue skies and, indeed, in the white-painted woodwork of the newly built church. The subtle contrasts in the

dark fabric of the men's jackets is impressively resolved, but the slight edge-enhancement on the brim of the ladies' hats and the angular edge of the church

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11111111111111111111MMIIIIIT' www.hifinews.co.uk HI-FINews JUNE 2005 67

ro

LA

plasmavision pure visual excellence

Quite simply, the only thing that interests the plasma engineers at Fujitsu is the picture.

From AliS and AVM to eALiS and AVM Plus, we've consistently sought to bring ground-

breaking visual technologies to our plasma screens. Fujitsu's new, HDTV- ready 40-series

screens are no different. With AVM-2, our next generation video processor, setting a new standard

with features including an onboard Natural Light Sensor that automatically senses the ambient light

level of the viewing room and digitally adjusts the screen brightness and contrast to achieve the

optimal on screen image.

N

Since we gave the world the first colour plasma screen in 1993, we've been preoccupied with

improving picture quality. If you share our passion, we think you'll be able to see the difference.

The new 40-series screens will be available exclusively through high-end AV specialists and custom

installers. Please visit www.fujitsu-generalco.uk or call 020 8731 3450 for your nearest dealer.

e Plasmavision. Don't lose sight of what really matters! fUJITSU

AVTech Exclusive Review

roof was ruthlessly revealed by the HT500E. Clearly, the HT500E was outstripping the quality of the DVD.

In a similar vein, while our charts prove beyond doubt that these UHP driven projectors lack the ability to deliver a fully saturated red, this is not immediately obvious without some frame of reference when

watching DVD movies. Sure enough, Shrek's Fiona has slightly coppery-red

hair and the 'red' carpet that marks their entrance to the castle in 'Far Far Away' errs more towards the orange rather than crimson side of red. Nevertheless, these animated images remain very easy on the eye whether driven via progressive digital video from Arcam's DV79 (576p) or Denon's DVD-MXV (720p). The better single-chip projectors with seven or

eight-segment wheels will still reproduce very good, low-noise detail in dark areas of the picture, but they don't come close to the smooth gradation of shadowy detail revealed by three-chippers in general, and this HT500E in particular. In this instance, the subtleties of grain in the dark wood panelling of the castle's interior seemed to bubble with detail, just as the texture of the Queen's dark green fabric now possessed a thoroughly

realistic sheen. This purity of blues and greens coupled with the

smooth greyscale encourages a tremendous sense of depth in both animated and live action scenes. Importantly, these images look inherently natural with no sense of peakiness or over-compensation in the dark greys. Quite the opposite, in fact, of the very punchy

mid-greys delivered by the vast majority of plasma displays, for example. The bright flashes that mark the stormy introduction

to Hellboy (or even the flashback sequence near the conclusion to The Boume Identity) still appear blinding despite the reduced white output of our Recommended Settings, and all because the HT500E has a tangible grasp of deep, convincing blacks. As ever, it's the smooth contrast, rather than maximum output, that brings a relaxing depth to its pictures.

AVTECH SAYS... Whichever direction you choose to look, the SIM2 HT500E is a pleasure to view. The box itself is an exercise in elegance while its images have a truly smooth but sweeping, cinematic edge that's not quite matched by even the very best single-chip solutions. Nevertheless, the HT500E presents the faintly bizarre situation of having the back-end of the cinema system clearly exceeding the resolution of the (DVD) front-end. While this projector really benefits from the highest bit-rate DVDs you can obtain, the HT500E is

still crying out for a decent 720p HD source, preferably in a 10bit, 4:2:2 format. It's a racecar sitting on the home cinema track, and all we are waiting for is some high octane, HD fuel.

Supplier

SIM2 UK

01825 750850

www.sim2.co.uk

FIFFINews verdict MIF The natural competitor to the InFocus Screenplay 777 is not as bright

but offers a wider colour gamut and a broader, smoother greyscale.

Movies never looked so good, but the 111500E cries out for HD video.

On the Bench with AVTech

I think it's fair to say that none of SIM2's recent projectors have been the

brightest on the block, but then this is the compromise wrought for the

improvement in colour gamut achieved by its proprietary filtering. The same red

filter is applied in the HT500E and, indeed, both the CIE ( Fig.1) and colour

purity ( Fig.2) plots demonstrate it has a higher red output than any other 3-

chipper we've measured to date. It also has quite the widest green/yellow gamut

and the most uniform greyscaile tracking, although its output is reduced to

15.0Foot Lamberts at a 7060K colour temperature.

While lower than we've seen of late, this is pretty close to the 14FL SMPTE

film projection standard and - thanks to the impressively deep black resolution

- still contributes to a wide 1850:1 contrast. We could achieve a brighter output

by winding up the UHP lamp from 200W to 250W and settling on a higher

(bluer) colour temperature. But this, in turn, compromises both the HT500E's

excellent greyscale tracking and slightly compresses its colour gamut. So while

the 200W setting is optimum for a 8-10in screen, higher settings may result in

slightly washed-out fleshtones during bright, outdoor scenes.

Fig 1: CIE Chart

Fig 2: Spectral Purity

AVTech's Recommended Settings for the SIM2 HT500E

Picture > Brightness > Contrast > Sharpness > Sharpness Mode

> 44 > 44 > 6 > Video

Image > Color Temp > 22 > Gamma Correction > 04

www.hitinews.co.uk

Setup > Lamp Power > 200W


Rotel IRSP-1068

Sub-£ 1000 AV processors are very thin on the ground, so does the RSP-1068 have a clear run, asks Paul Miller

Rotel RSP-1068 AV processor

PRICE £995

Topping its radical RSP-1098 AV processor [AVTech, Nov '03] was always gong to be a tough act for Rotel so, by way of commercial

good sense, it has decided not to bother trying. Instead, many of the lessons learned in its development have been trickled-down to the replacement for its baby brother, the RSP-1066. This is the £995 RSP-1068, a model that clearly takes its cues from the older RSP-1066 but that beats to the tune of latest Crystal CS494003 Dolby/DTS decoder debued on the RSP-1098. This single-chip solution supports all the standard 7.1 channel formats, including Dolby EX and

Some of the advanced DSP features introduced on Rotel's RSP-1098 have found their way into this RSP-1068

DTS ES, but brings added compatability with other standards like DTS 24/96.

In line with the affordability of the RSP-1068, it's fitted with four stereo AK4395 DACs instead of the more advanced CS43122 DACs used in the RSP-1098. Nevertheless, the flexibility of the product has been enhanced with an additional component video input

and a zone 2 composite video output. Similarly, the multichannel analogue inputs have been increased from 7 to 8 channels and assignable 12V triggers are now included to assist in custom install projects. And, for anyone who has suffered the annoyance of a

slight lipsync error with their plasma or display (caused by a delay in the video scaling DSP), Rotel offers a 'Group Delay' of up to 500msec in 5msec increments. A useful feature that addresses other product's shortcomings. As you might expect, the RSP-1068 passes all the

requisite Dolby decode tests with flying colours and even locks onto incoming bitstreams about a second quicker than previous models. It's also worth noting that changes to the speaker configuration (size, delay and level) are executed on-the-fly, making it very much easier to tweak your system setup. Some DVD players and processors still require you to exit the menu before changes to the configuration are implemented, but the RSP-1068 is rather slicker. Some of the more advanced DSP features introduced

on its RSP-1098 have also found their way into this '1068 model. For example, go to the 'Other' menu and you'll discover the ' Slow', 'Mid' and 'Fast' volume speed options that were developed for the '1098, allowing the hysteresis of the volume control to be adapted to your spinning technique! There's also a 'Contour' tone control accessible via the OSD and front panel, permitting a broad but gentle increase (or decrease) in output above and below lkHz. This is a mild contouring effect of about 3dB/decade, realising a


ietVTech In-depth review

maximum +6dB boost at 20kHz and +6dB at 20Hz with less group delay than might be experienced from a conventional bass/treble control. Do note, however, that once you touch the front panel

knobs, even returning them both to ' 0', you'll still have to return to the OSD menu before setting the Defeat function back 'On'. Rotel's bass management has been tweaked to give a steeper LF roll-off to any channels changed from 'Large' to 'Small' in its Speaker setup menu, just as it's now possible to set independent crossover points (which now extend up to 200Hz) to each channel in turn.

Set to a standard 80Hz (the RSP-1068 defaults to 100Hz) and the response of these Small channels starts

Rotel's traditional text-

based menu is

now more

comprehensive

than ever

rolling away below 200Hz, reaching —10dB at 80Hz. The bass mixing into other channels is clean, if a little inconsistent. For example, if you set the centre channel to ' Small' then its bass ends up in the front channels but if you set the surrounds to ' Small' then the bass is mixed into the sub channel instead. The only mode I would avoid is one where the

sub channel is disabled and the surrounds are set to 'Small' because this can cause excessive distortion on the (Large) centre channel. You can download the full LPCM and Dolby test reports from www.milleraudioresearch.com/avtech.

MAIN MENU

INPUT DELAY SUB SETUP OTHER CONTOUR

EXIT

SPEAKER TEST TONE ZONE 2 DEFAULT

RSP-1068 at the helm because its immersive, 'cloud' of sound places you right in the middle of the action. And 'cloud' should not imply 'cloudy', for the quick changes in ambience that occur as scenes flip from inside the mini to outside on the cold streets are reflected with deft efficiency by the RSP-1068.

Close scenes retain a compelling intimacy while the broad outdoor shots have a feeling of space and airiness that reinforces the pictures on the screen. And all this is achieved without a sense of obviousness or straining for effect, ensuring the RSP-1068 sounds detailed

without being demanding.

SPEAKER SETUP

FRONT :Large CENTER:Large

SURROLND:Large CENTER BACKAMEUMM

SUBWOOFER Yes ADVANCED Enter

MAIN MENU

AVTECH SAYS... As it stands, at just £995, the RSP-1068 has no obvious or immediate competition. But then, no AV processor can ever truly stand alone.

As ideal partners for the RSP-1068, you need look no further than a combination of Rotel's own RB-1080 (left and right) with a

three-channel RMB-1095 power amp, bringing the

total package in at £3685. If you want more bells, whistles and compatibility with the latest multichannel digital audio/video interconnect standards then you'll

OTHER OPTIONS

LIGHTS OUT Its bigger brother, the RSP-1098, has a very distinctive sound and one that suits a grand home cinema down to its roots. There's a hint of warmth, almost a slight bloom to the lower registers that can really lift the stature of the (multichannel) soundfield away from the speakers and firmly into the room itself. The RSP-1068,

by contrast, has a slightly leaner presentation but is no less transparent for this difference in emphasis. Similarly, the stormy introduction to Hellboy sounds no less articulate or pointed in focus, but it's clear that the most robust effects are being underpinned by the sub rather than the main speakers, regardless of their size. In many systems, this is probably as it should be because it allows for easier room-tuning by subtle changes in the level and positioning of the sub. More importantly, the sound of the RSP-1068 enjoys

a sense of uniformity across all channels that we've experienced from Rotel's other processors and AV receivers in the past. This is vital if a believable, three-dimensional soundfield is to be sustained, particularly now that the surround channels are being employed by mixing engineers as rather more than a repository for occasional effects. The car chase scene from The Boume Identity, for

example, has you on the edge of your seat with Rotel's

RECORD Video 1 TURN ON VOL 45

MAX VOL Max VOL SPEED MID

POWER Standby LANGUAGE ENGLISH

VIDEO PAL OSO On

PROGRESSIVE MAIN MENU

e s ALL

While the rear

panel looks little

different from its

RS P-1066

predecessor, there

are hidden

upgrades. These

include video

upconversion from

composite/S-video

to component, 12V

triggers, a full

8-channel

multichannel input

and a 10-channel

multichannel

pre-amp output.

There are 3 coaxial

and 2 optical

digital inputs and

an R145 Comm port

for external remote

control. The likes of

HDMI switching,

however, look to be

a while away

The car chase scene in The Bourne Identity has you on the edge of your seat with the RSP-1068 at the helm

need to look in the direction of the big, fully-integrated AV receivers from the likes of Denon and Pioneer. But while you are at this fork in the road, never doubt that the Rotel combination represents the very affordable end of what might be described as genuinely 'audiophile' home cinema.

Supplier B&W UK Sales

01903 221500

www.rotel.com

Hi-FiNews verdict

If you want to upgrade to a separates- based home cinema system, then

Rotel's new RSP-1068 represents the most affordable, performanced-

based choice available. For bells and whistles, look elsewhere.

www. h if inews.co.uk Hi-FINews JUNE 2005 71

How much did you ever like the neighbours anyway?

That pounding in your chest isn't just the bass line.

Vifa's Reference home theatre system quickens the

pulse of even the most devout audio purists. Patented

dual concentric dome tweeters relay every nuance.

lo" subs throb bass-lines down to 25 Hz. They'll never

dare ask for a cup of sugar again.

Vifa home theatres —

Vifa International is distributed in the UK by: Henley Designs Ltd.

Tel.: (0)1235 511166 • www.henleydesigns.co.uk • [email protected]

AVTech Update hopuiFirevvim

Making the best fist of digital cinema?

Over the last couple of issues we've explored the very first products sporting HDMI interconnects, the

modern-day all- digital replacement for the familiar

SCART, and in particular the v1.1 format that supports

encrypted, high-resolution multichannel audio. The Arcam DV29

and Denon DVD-AlXV DVD players were the first to offer this

fully-fledged AV connection while Denon's AVC-AlXV amp is

currently the only ' HDMI Sink' for these ' HDMI Sources'.

So far so good, but AVTech has been surprised at the levels of

jitter suffered through the use of these connections and with

DVD (video) in particular. Levels of jitter, I might add, that seem

to correlate with the less than exacting sound quality reported by

our blind listening panel last month. During those tests, we also

discovered equally high levels of jitter when using an i.LINK

connection between the Denon player and amplifier. Puzzling

indeed because, back in HFN Dec '02, our exclusive technical

review of Pioneer's DV-757AiNSA-AX10i player/amplifier

combination confirmed that digital audio transmitted across an

i.LINK interface incurred a mere -290psec of jitter.

AVTech has run further tests on Pioneer's latest DV-868Ai

player connected to its VSA-AXIOAi multichannel amplifier via

the i.LINK. To recap, the secure transmission of audio over the

i.LINK (otherwise known as 1EEE1394 or Apple's FireWire) is

achieved via the A&M protocol and the AM824 format which

caters for both LPCM and one-bit (SACD's DSD) data. The data

itself is packetised according to another format called IEC60958

Jitter represents a variation or uncertainty in what should be the regular timing

of consecutive bits of data. So long as the digital audio data remains intact and

in the right order, then jitter poses no problem. But once converted back into an

analogue waveform, jitter causes a very specific type of distortion, represented

in the graphs below. Jitter of just 100-200psec is not uncommon with good

quality players, as evidenced by Fig 1 which shows the inherent level of

jitter- related distortion suffered by Pioneer's DV-868Ai.

which is exactly the same format supported by HDMI. As a

result, the similarity in our test results obtained from both

i.LINK and HDMI connections begins to look less surprising.

So does this latest Pioneer combination enjoy the same, low

jitter transmission reported some 30 months back? Well, yes and

no. Transmitting audio from CD or DVD-A at 44.1kHz, 48kHz or

96kHz via the i.LINK pipe, the level of jitter in the recovered

signal drops to a miniscule -250psec. Then again, Pioneer takes

advantage of FireWire's isosynchronous transmission to feed

back a clock from the Sink (the amplifier) to the Source (the

DVD player). As a result, the packetised data is clocked into the

Sink at a predetermined rate, eliminating a major source of jitter

at a stroke. Transmitting audio data from a DVD (video) source is

another matter, however. Even if the 24brt/48kHz or 24bit/

96kHz two-chalnel audio is ostensibly identical to that on a

DVD-A, Pioneer's sync- lock facility is defeated and jitter n the

recovered signal rises to a massive -25,COOpsec (Fig 3). And

exactly the same thing appears to occur with HDMI. In practice,

transmitting audio from DVD over FireWire or HDMI is

complicated by its inextricable link with the assoc'ated video

content. This is not the case with the S/PDIF ( Fig 2) or, indeed,

proprietary interconnects like Denon's D-LINK.

HDMI may be driven by a s ngle TDMS (video) cloc•<, ' eying

on Audio Clock Regeneration to re-synchronise the audio in the

HDMI Sink. Back in the DVD player, the video ana audio clocks

should be synchronous, particularly if the latter is derived from

the former. Either way, the mathematical relatiorship between

the ' lost' audio clock and the driving video clock must also be

communicated over the HDMI link for it to be successfully

recovered. Nevertheless, Fig 3 suggests this is not trivial. Why is

this potentially so important? Because, given the chance 99%

of us will be using a combination of either HDMI or DVIFireWire

for the distribution of digital video and audio from DVD in our

home cinema systems. So, whether the audio is two-channel

LPCM or a Dolby/DTS bitstream, the same levels of jitter apply.

Even with standard Do by test signals, off reference Test

DVDs, the impact of this jitter is detectable, and I would sJggest

audible, on the decoded multichannel streams. The same

streams carried by plain vanilla S/PDIF suffer - 100x less jitter

and so are far cleaner. The advice for home cinema fans is

straightforward: transmit your digital video by HDMI oi DVI but

stick to plain vanilla S/PDIF for the bits:ream audio. MI

As AVTech

predicted back in

Feb'04, the

specialist cable

manufacturers

would soon start

catering for the

brave new world of

digital home

cinema, including

QED. Match the

connector: HDMI,

FireWire ( six- pin

IEEE1394 and

four-pin i.LINK),

USB and RJ45

On the Bench with AVTech RAVER

‘11 811/1/./A1/1/~1188/88/88/818âil ,

2000 1000 0 1000 2000 3500

44 JITTER FREQUENCY

Fig 1: Inherent jitter from DV-868AVi player, replaying 24bit/48kHz audio from a Test DVD

dB

a Dv MN.. 1101,1•1.

4:12111:1k•e._

.110

120

î -130

140 . -3600 -2600 -1000 0 1060 2e00

<4 JITTER FREQUENCY 1..z•

3600

Hz

[ie -60

ñ 70

I:35. -80

•90

-100 o

tff -110

CON NC CT WC

2 _ 130 -140 -3500 -2000 -1800 0 1000 2000

..4 JITTER FREQUENCY

Fig 2: Same DVD, but 24bit/48kHz audio data is Fig 3: Same DVD again, but 24bit/48kHz audio is transmitted over S/PDIF to the VSA-AX10Ai amp carried by i.LINK to the VSA-AX I 0Ai amplifier

3500

hifinews JUNE 2005 73

Fujitsu

P5OXHALIO The first HD Panasonic plasma to benefit

from a DVI/HDMI input is a Fujitsu. Paul Miller avoids dwelling on the irony

Fujitsu P5OXHA40 50in plasma display

PRICE £4995

Right up until the moment its production lines whirred into life, Fujitsu was debating whether or not to make its HA40-series of plasmas 'HD-

Ready'. ` It was choice between a UHF input and built-in TV tuner or an HDMI input to accommodate digital video sources', we were informed. That's the problem with having all your inputs, switching and video DSP inside the plasma chassis itself — very soon you run out of real estate. And so it is with Fujitsu's new P5OXHA40 which

includes powerful de-interlacing, scaling and image processing technology in the form of AVM II, plus a 'Natural Light Sensor' (called Ambient Sensor on the main menu) that adjusts the picture's gamma in tune with room lighting levels. It certainly stops the panel being over-driven in a dark room, for example, but the chassis still includes a couple of low-noise fans to prevent it over-heating as it competes with the 'ambience' of a daylit room. Because of its on-board connectivity, the P5O's

chassis is somewhat deeper than competing designs from Pioneer, for example, and it's also rather heavier thanks to the combined glass front plate and filter. Nevertheless, the matt silver surround with its

...its pictures are the least 'plasma-like' of any we've seen, thanks largely

to the transparency of AVM II...

mirrored sidecheeks does successfully diminish the perceived bulk of this 50in panel, with or without the detachable, side-mounted loudspeakers (see main

picture). The plasma panel itself is not one of Fujitsu's

proprietary e-ALIS designs but a previous-generation Panasonic. This is a tried-and-tested panel with a wide XGA (1366x768) pixel matrix whose full potential is only now realised thanks to the HDMI input available

on Fujitsu's chassis. Panasonic itself is following suit in its up-coming Viera range, but only Fujitsu's models benefit from its latest AVM ll digital video processor.

ADVANCED VIDEO MOVEMENT II Now in its fourth generation, the Advanced Video Movement scheme has gradually been condensed from four synchronous LSIs to a single processor running, among other things, a licenced and tweaked version of Faroudja's DCDi deinterlacing code. The interlaced-to-progressive conversion is tailored specifically for 10801 inputs, which is one of the options available to BSkyB's content providers in the run-up to HD broadcasting.

This., in turn, is just part of Fujitsu's HDDMC (High Definition Digital Multi Conversion) regime that includes noise reduction, contrast, colour, and edge detail correction on a per-pixel basis. This is very


AVTech Feature Review

I j

advanced stuff and is broadly superior to the 1-tu-P and scaling options available to many, if not all, current mid-priced DVD players. As a result, in some instances it will be worth

turning off the progressive video option on the DVD player and feeding a raw, interlaced video feed up to the plasma, whether in analogue or digital form.

Out-of-the-box, the slightly hard, bright and blue-looking pictures take some tweaking [see On the Bench...1 but Fujitsu's on-screen menu is easily navigated from its partnering remote control. There are two contrast adjustments, one that acts on the video signal and another (the 'Drive' contrast) that alters the luminance of the panel itself. The various Picture Modes also influence the

perceived contrast in both dark and light areas of the image by manipulating its gamma. Fujitsu's colour menu is equally comprehensive, including a user-adjustable colour temperature and an advanced colour focus option that enables both hue and colour depth to be manipulated about six (red, yellow, green, cyan, blue and magenta) target values. And with eight

picture memories to choose from, you can set a 'mood' for every occasion.

LIGHTS DUT One word sums up the images delivered by the Fujitsu — glossy. Returning to an old favourite, Toy Story 2, even Rex, the green dinosaur, looks as if he has been given a good polish with turtle wax, leaving his hard

Rather than route

all its inputs via a

separate media

receiver, Fujitsu

provides all its

connections on the

underside of the

plasma itself. Two

independent

component video

inputs are situated

alongside the

composite and

S-video sockets

while digital video

from PC, DVI-D and

HDMI sources is

accommodated on

an adjacent panel.

Three audio inputs

find their way to the

(spring- clip)

speaker terminals

above

mAvil if i news. co. u k HI-FINews JUNE 2005 75

This one's for you The annual Blue Murder Sale at Unilet is a once-in-a-year event that no self-respecting audiophile can afford to miss. You know that Unilet is the place to find all those brands that you read about in Hi Fi News but can never find

in your high street. But just once a year all hell lets loose as we gather some of the very latest new equipment, ex-demo stock and special ends-of-lines and slash prices to the bone. People have made real killings every year which is why we call it Blue Murder. So if you know what's what, you now know where it's at.

If you'd like a preview of what's in store call for our special Blue Murder Sale List or click onto our website: www.unilet.net

41 Pltase send me the Sale List

Name

Address

Postcode

Unilet Sound and Vision Ltd, 35 High Street, Mew Malden, Surrey KT3 4BY

BR NEW MALDEN

WAITROSE

HIGH STREET NEW MALDEN

r UNILET

d and " e Unilet Sound and Vision Ltd,

35 High Street, New Malden, Surrey KT3 4BY

Some of the brands in our sa,e: Acoustic Energy (AE), Accoustic Solid, Anthony Gallo, Apollo, Arcam, Arcam FMJ, Atacama, Audiovector, Beyer, Bosendorfer, Boston, Bryston, B&W, Cable Talk, Celestion, Cerwin Vega, Chord, Chord Cables, Denon, Denon Gold, Ecosse, Heybrook, Insert Audio, IXOS, JAMO, JBL, KEF, KEF Reference, Koetsu, LAT, Lexicon, Marantz, Marantz Premium, Morduant Short (MS), Michell, Mission, Musical Fidelity, NAD, Nakamichi, Nordost, Optimum, Ortofon, Panasonic, Parasound, Pioneer, PMC, Polk, Primare, ProAc, Project, Pure, QED, Quad, REL, Roksan, Rotel, Sennheiser, Shure, SME, Sonus Faber, Sonus Systems, Sony, Soundstyle, Spendor, Stands Unique, Stax, Sunfire, Supra, Tag McLaren, Talk Electronics, Tannoy, Target, Teac, Technics, Threshold Audio, Thule, VDH, Wilson Benesch, Yamaha.

AVTech Feature Review

plastic shell gleaming. Using a 576p RGB digital feed from our Arcam DV79, the reds and oranges can look a little over-cooked — Jessie's hair and hat are a prime example — but there's very little ' flare' spilling out into the wider scene. No, the Fujitsu's images are almost universally resplendent in colour saturation and detail. particularly in darker areas of the picture. The opening, pre-title sequence from HeIlboy is very

watchable indeed on this display. When lesser panels lose much of the texture of the stone to the dark of night, the Fujitsu projects a vivid image, not etched or obviously enhanced but very crisp, detailed and — once again — very glossy. Hellboy himself is not quite the crimson red we've seen before and neither is the bright snowscene quite as white as it might be (it's actually slightly blue), but by digging deep into the dark grey areas of the image, the P5OXHA40 maintains a very active and compelling picture quality. The wide colour gamut of the display is vividly

illustrated by the stunning, iridescent colours from Finding Nemo where, despite the luminous orange of the clownfish, it's still possible to pick out detail in their scales. We stretched the I-to-P conversion of Fujitsu's AVM II processor by feeding the P5OXHA40 with 1080i digital video from the Denon DVD-AVX1. Even here, the horizontal banding, evident through the darker blue of the sea, is minimised and utterly free of the noise we saw with the Philips Pixel Plus plasma, for example. Any contouring around the Angler fish's lantern was smoothed away by the AVM II's 10-bit greyscale processing — no other plasma has looked so keenly detailed and free of banding as this Fujitsu. And this is the P5OXHA40's strength, for its pictures

are the least 'plasma-like' of any we've seen thanks largely to the transparency of its AVM II processor. Even with the peaked-up mid greyscale that's common to all plasma panels, the Fujitsu's pictures are deceptively deep and smooth-looking, free of any obvious ringing or other forms of enhancement. Furthermore, the deep and natural looking picture, full of highlights, rich colours and clean detailing is all reinforced by the excellent black level of the Panasonic panel, which is some 4-5 times darker than achieved by the Pioneer competition.

AVTECH SAYS... The combination of Panasonic's PDP with Fujitsu's own AVM II processing makes for a powerful and compelling package that substantially exceeds the sum of its parts. So the P5OXHA40 is a fabulous display, and a stylish one to boot, but the emphasis is firmly on display rather than TV because, without any analogue or digital tuner it is not as inclusive a solution as the Pioneer PDP-505. It remains a class act, however, and a 'must see' contender for any enthusiast with sufficient wall space and £5k burning a hole in his pocket.

Supplier Fujitsu General ( UK) Ltd

0208 731 3450

www.fujitsu-general.co.uk

HI-FiNews verdict

Quite the glossiest, crispest- looking plasma we've seen and one that

takes a familiar Panasonic panel design to new heights. Thank

goodness Fujitsu decided to fit an HDMI input at the eleventh hour!

On tne Bench with AVTech

Straight out of the box, the P5OXHA40 has a very high 10100K colour

temperature designed to deliver punchy, bluish images that'll knock your eyeballs

out at an in-store demo. This is Fujitsu's Natural Picture' mode, although the

figures of 9920K ( Fine), 9312K ( Effective), 8820K (Conventional) and 9640K

(Still) are barely any warmer. At home, you'll want something less demanding.

Follow AVTech's Recommended Settings for a near-perfect 6505K colour

temperature and a maximum output of 19.1 Foot Lamberts, full screen driven.

The CIE chart ( Fig.1) shows a usefully wide colour gamut while Fig.2 shows this

plasma still has the edge on UHP-powered projectors when it comes to

reproducing decently rich-coloured reds.

Panasonic's own implementations are known for their excellent black levels

which, despite a more limited maximum white output, still contribute to their

wider-than-average contrast figures. Fujitsu's P5OXHA40 has been engineered

towards a middle ground with a 450:1 full- screen contrast that improves to

1130:1 with only 20% of the screen driven. Here, its maximum output is a

blinding 53.1FL!

Fig 1: CIE Chart

Fig 2: Spectral Purity

400nm 450nm 500nm 550nm 600nm 650mn 700non 750nm

AVTech's Recommended Settings for the Fujitsu P5OXHA40

Signal Contrast Drive Contrast Picture Mode Precision Setting

> 0 > 85 > Conventional > User Color Temp > Red

> Green > Blue

> 254 > 238 > 210

www.hifinews.co. u k Hi-Fir\P... JUNE 2005 77

The colouration's in the finish

Not in the music

Prodect Distributed by: Henley Designs

01235 511166

www.henleydesigns.co.uk [email protected]

AVTech Update

JON THOMPSON'S

VIEW FROM THE INSIDE T

he concept of home cinema as we know it today is over 10 years old, but technology has moved at such a pace that your average home cinema is now far more

sophisticated than your local multiplex, which is still using 10,000-foot long rolls of celluloid film rather than a digital film server of some description. Of course, many people think

that cinemas are already digital, confusing digital sound with

digital projection technology. Although digital projection has

been talked about for a long time and a few high profile demonstrations such as Star Wars and the The Incredibles are

showing at key venues, there has, as yet, been no large-scale network deployed anywhere in the world.

But now this is all set to change. The UK will soon be leading the way with the first national ' integrated digital

cinema network'. This UK Film Council venture involves the creation, over the next 18 months, of a network of around 250

digital screens across the country. This is effectively a virtual

cinema circuit, as the equipment will be deployed in existing cinema chains including Odeon, UCI and City Screen, in addition to a number of independents.

This network will be built and managed by Arts Alliance Digital Cinema, a UK company run by venture capitalist

Thomas Hoegh. The technology will be supplied by Christie Digital Systems and NEC/DPI ( Digital Projection Ltd).

The theatre network will use TI's 2K Digital Cinema system driven by QuVis's QuBit digital cinema server. These servers use a next-generation picture-compression technology called

Wavelet, breaking away from the block-based systems that

MPEG encoders and decoders currently use. Wavelet is a more gentle and graceful encoding system. While errors in MPEG

encoding may cause blockiness in the reproduced picture,

similar errors in the Wavelet process generate an innocuous noise, similar to film grain, that is far less visually disturbing.

To ensure that the filmmaking community gains a full

appreciation of this latest digital cinema technology, the

British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA, better known for handing out funny little face masks once a year) has

installed a fully-fledged 2K DLP cinema projector 11 in its own, newly-refurbished screening theatre. Keith Fawcett, head of technical services at the The strength of future 'sound companies' Academy, oversaw the renovation and the may well be measured by their marketing, installation of this cutting-edge equipment at

BAFTA's Princess Anne Theatre. This includes an rather than out-and-out sound quality

'editable'. Dolby also announced the merging of all its sound formats into one new system called Dolby F. Of course, if

lossless PCM formats become more widespread, then the sonic distinctions between existing, compressed standards like DD

and DTS are removed. As a result, the strength of future

'sound corrpanies' may well be measured by their marketing and brand awareness, rather than out-and-out sound quality.

Jon Thompson, seen here with

the famous Golden Lions at

the 2004 Venice Film Festival

inclusive wireless network, so busy film producers

should never miss an important email again... To herald the refurbishment, Keith Fawcett and BAFTA's

long-time chief projectionist, Keith Jordan, hosted a digital cinema afternoon with its projection sponsor company, BARCO.

The projector installed at the Princess Anne Theatre is

BARCO's flagship DP100, a 2K digital cinema engine with a resolution of 2048 x 1080 pixels. This is a 3-chip DLP system

capable of handling 15 bits of dynamic range per colour,

producing ultra-smooth cinematic images free of contouring. A

lot of this technology has already found its way into high end,

3-chip home cinema DLP projectors.

At the event, Dolby's Graham Edmondson announced the death of proprietary cinema sound formats, including Dolby

Digital itself, while suggesting that uncompressed LPCM might

not be such a straightforward alternative. Instead, Dolby is

supporting an open format called ePCM, the 'e' standing for

Rounding off the event, we were shown numerous D-Cinema

clips, notably from an independent film called Slipstream, starring Vinriie Jones and Sean Astin. Director David Van Eyssen gave a stirring speech on the benefits that digital

cinema technology would bring to independent film producers.

Not east is the fact that there will no longer be the need to deliver an expensive 35mm print for screening purposes.

Instead, the edited movie is transferred in digital form to a server for immediate playback. The event was a success,

thanks to BARCO and BAFTA defivering a convincing demonstration of the potential of Digital Cinema.

With crossed fingers ana a following wind, your local cinema

may soon have a state-of-the-art digital projector, and you'll be

able to judge for yourself whether tnis technology will reinvent filmgoing as we know it.


Hi-FINews Music Reviews Vânskâ starts a Beethoven cycle Langridge in Death in Venice Midpriced RCA and Mercury SACDs

Home Again with Jimmy Somerville, Devlins make Waves Patricia Barber, Who and Willie Nelson on vinyl

BARTOK Piano Concertos 1-3 Krystian Zimerman, Chicago SO/Leif Ove Andsnes, BPO/ Hélène Grimaud, LSO/ Pierre Boulez DG 477 5330

76m 25s (£££) In July 1967 Pierre Boulez made (the dates would suggest) his first recording for EMI: a coupling of Bartók's First and Third Concertos with Daniel Barenboim and the New Philharmonia. In concert, Boulez and Barenboim have performed together frequently but for these 2001-4 remakes (issued with an 80th birthday sticker on the cover) he is working with much younger pianists.

Apparently balanced from a forest of microphones, the First Concerto is disappointingly arid, with none of the mystery and red blood of the EMI ( reissued last year). Krystian Zimerman produces some breathtaking shimmering effects in ( i) but there's not the sense you had with Barenboim of a strong-willed soloist striking sparks off his accompanists. And the earlier Chicago/DG with Pollini and Abbado also possessed more

the piano concertos Andsners I

Sou.

I

atmosphere— notably in tracing the big crescendo of ( ii). There is more depth to the image, too. I don't think the Berlin

Philharmonic has been heard in No.2

before. They bring a unique sense of power and refinement to the music, with gradations of soft string playing in

the nocturnal second movement of breathtaking quality. Andsnes is superb in this concerto, especially in a thrilling finale. All three pianists are balanced much to the fore but at least there are deeper perspectives with both the BPO ( Berlin Philharmonie) and LSO (Jerwood Hall, St Luke's Church) productions. We have had several fine

recordings of No.3 from women pianists, dating back to Edith Farnadi on Westminster. (Argerich's, on EMI, disappointed expectations.) Hélène Grimaud brings far more to the piece than her 2003 Prom performance would suggest likely. If perhaps too wilful in the opening movement, she gives the most beautiful account of the slow movement I have heard; the playfulness of ( iii) is amongst the very best, too, and the LSO gives wonderful support. CB PERFORMANCES 2 AND 3 REMARKABLE, NOT 1 RECORDINGS ALL THREE SOLOISTS UPFRONT

Classical STOKOWSKI'S SYMPHONIC BACH Vol.2 — Unpublished transcriptions BBC Philharmonic/ Matthias Bamert Chandos CHAN 10282

75m 28s (£££) We were impressed when Paul Miller used the word 'tsunami' in a review: that was years before last Christmas. Similarly, when I was music editor, Calum MacDonald

introduced me to 'gigantism' —a medical term indicating excessive growth. There's an example of this at the end of Barnet's second Chandos volume of Stokowski's

Bach transcriptions, in the C minor fugue from the Well- Tempered

Clavier; and one can make a distinction between it and that which is gigantic': the Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, a premiere recording which starts a programme of unpublished transcriptions lodged in the University of

CHANDOS

STOKOWSKI'S SYMPHONIC BACH

VOLUME

Pennsylvania. There, the size is impressive but everything is in proportion. Atthe centre is the great Chaconne from the Second Partita, spanning 16m.

There are several quite beautiful smaller pieces, such as 'Arioso', the Largo from the harpsichord concerto BWV1056— 'noble, tender and at the same time masculine', Stokowski wrote over his manuscript. And familiar ones such as 'Wachet auf', 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' and ' Ein' fest Burg'. You marvel at Stokowski's skills ( never mind 'authenticism' and yesterday's snobbish rejection — these are pieces with a separate identity) but

also at the wonderful finish and expressive commitment of the BBC Philharmonic's playing. Mark Elder

may be riding high on a flood of journalistic praise but this Manchester orchestra has nowt to fear from the Hallé, and Matthias Barnet must be the most unsung conductor working in this country today. He's made six CDs of Stokowski arrangements, not to mention his Dohnányi and 'Contemporaries of Mozart' series. Studio 7 New Broadcasting House was the venue here. CB PERFORMANCES COULD NOT WISH FOR MORE RECORDINGS ALSO VERY GOOD

BEETHOVEN Symphonies 4 and 5 Minnesota Orchestra/ Osmo Vânskâ BIS SACD-1416 67m 03s (£££) SACD hybrid Osmo Vanskâ has recorded a Sibelius symphonic cycle for BIS which is a leading recommendation —can hedo the same for Beethoven at Minnesota, where he has been music director of the Minneapolis Orchestra since 2003?

Like Abbado in his Berlin Philharmonic DG cycle he has his violins placed antiphonally and follows te Jonathan del Mar Barenreiter editions; unlike Abbado he does not adopt the long repeat scheme postulated for the scherzo of the Fifth Symphony. There is of

course a world of difference between these two orchestras, the Minnesota sound being relatively coarse— but this does not ill- suit these symphonies, which emerge as alert, observant and exciting.

GREG HEL

GESO

N/BI

S


When you become familiar with the

pieces, what at first seems a Toscanini-like drive is something of

an illusion. Rather, it is more a question of Vânskâ's dramatic concentration. The clash between brass and

winds from 6m 13s-23s into the slow movement of Symphony 4 is

honest but awkward; the timpanist is boosted in 5(iv) as the tension breaks for a return to the scherzo material (Tempo I, bar 153). These

are the only two obtrusive features. The recordings are genuine

multi-channel (the SACD remastered 1962 Karajan/DG is sourced from two-channel tapes)

BRITTEN Death in Venice

Philip Langridge, Alan Opie, Michael Chance, BBC Singers, City of London Sinfonia/ Richard Hickox Chandos CHAN 10280(2) 151m 26s (£££) two discs Britten supervised, but was too unwell to conduct, the definitive 1974 Maltings recording [ Decca 425 669-

2, midprice] with the two singers he had in mind when writing Death in Venice: Peter Pears as the writer Aschenbach; John Shirley-Quirk in the male roles interacting with the lead. A counter-tenor takes the part of Apollo. Thomas Mann's novella had already been adapted for film by Visconti, who changed the principal toa composer ( Dirk Bogarde, masterly or plain embarrassing according to taste),

larding the picture with dollops of Mahler — although this at least brought the Adagietto from Symphony 5 to a new audience.

Tadzio, the Polish boy subject of Aschenbach's obsession, has no singing part but ( oddly) Britten chose to represent his aura with quasi-Balinese music; a counter-tenor takes the part of Apollo. On

stage, Tadzio is seen in ballet sequences, so arguably Death in Venice is not ideal for gramophone listening—

BRFITEN AND PEARS IN VENICE ( 1956)

PHILIP LAN'GRID

which Vanskâ feels is a definite

advance in home listening. Whether, musically, this will develop asa ' must have' cycle remains open to question but it's a spirited beginning with a lot of integrity. CB PERFORMANCES A VERY POSITIVE START RECORDINGS QUITE A REVERBERANT SOUND

it does, too, contain stretches of rather poor music. That said, you cannot listen to much Britten without feeling he was a damned clever writer — even the tiny sea motif first heard in Scene 2 [track 4] resonates with Peter Grimes. Chandos, incidentally offers more tracks than Decca's CD set, and although nothing is mentioned of this in the presentation, opens up at least one cut in Myfanwy Piper's fine libretto. With its three-column texts ( French/

English/German) printed in minuscule type I rather gave up on the booklet whilst listening. However, I did

think the uncredited accompanying essay, so far as it went, was rather more to the point than the late Christopher Palmer's long introduction for Decca's CD reissue; but Palmer is helpful in analysing Britten's musical groundplan, use of motifs ana instrumentation, points not covered here.

With the Couzens's Blackheath Halls production you get a perceptibly more up to date sound, with

more delicacy; but the Decca production (engineers Kenneth Wilkinson/James Lock) can scarcely be

criticised as dated. And Steuart Bedford's conducting is more vivid: I find the Chandos more akin to a concert

performance rather than an operatic staging. This is very largely because Alan Opie doesn't really match John Shirley-Quirk's vocal characterisations: his falsetto parts in the Elderly Fop, for example, sound like

arbitrarily placed high notes in a baritone line. His First

Player, though, is very good. If there is one good reason

for preferring this new

recording it is that one can more easily empathise with Aschenbach as sung by Philip Langridge. There is something a little stifling with Pears's singing; you feel he deserves his fate! CB PERFORMANCE WORTH HEARING FOR CASTING OF ASCHENBACH RECORDING FINE DELICACY AND GOOD SPATIAL IMAGING

BRITTEN Frank Bridge Variations • Serenade for tenor, horn and strings • Les Illuminations Toby Spence, Martin Owen, Scottish Ensemble/Clio Gould Linn CKD 226 72m 45s (£££) SACD hybrid Clio Gould has some interesting ideas for her 15-strong Scottish Ensemble in the Frank Bridge Variations, but this Caird Hall production has the strings in cruel closeup and the sound is much too bright. Any hint of intonation fallibility is exposed, although in the two song cycles the Ensemble is set back. Unfortunately there is a balance problem with the horn playing too, in Serenade: the singer

is drowned out in ' Dirge'. Toby Spence's French diction is better

than Pears's (Les Illuminations) but his vocal timbres change in colour

with pitch, almost like the effect of editing several different tenors together as one. He is not yet the master of Serenade and this Linn recording is totally eclipsed by the Collins/Naxos reissue with Philip

Langridge, reviewed last month. This release is neither musically nor technically recommendable. CB PERFORMANCES LOOK ELSEWHERE RECORDINGS PROBLEMATIC

BRUCKNER Symphony 5 • rehearsal excerpts VPO/Ni kola us Harnoncourt RCA 82876 60749 2 147m 57s (£special) SACD plus CD

Harnoncourt's live performance, 73m 07s in duration, is complete on the first disc ( No. 5 in Karajan's Berlin/DG set, at 80m 49s, is split

over two). The second, a CD, is of rehearsal excerpts from all four movements, conducted in German of course, although Harnoncourt likes to say Okay' and sometimes

'Please'. 'Wunderbar' is heard frequently but those who don't understand the language will lose out — DVD, with its subtitling facility, is now the obvious format for this kind of documentary material.

It is the scherzo which Harnoncourt really seems to take at a lick, although it is only seconds

shorter than Karajan's ( both on DG andina live Vienna recording on Andante); the affinity with the


EDUARD VAN BEINUM Works by JS Bach, Brahms, Debussy, Handel, Mozart and Schubert Concertgebouw Orchestra/Eduard van Beinum

Philips 475 6353 416m 50s (£special) six discs part mono

BARTOK Music for strings, percussion and celesta BRAHMS Haydn Variations KODALY Háry János Suite Concertgebouw Orchestra/Eduard van Beinum Retrospective RET 036 66m 16s (££) part mono Eduard van Beinum (whom I saw conducting in London when I was a student) was Mengelberg's assistant conductor at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw during the war years, then principal from 1945-59. He recorded largely for the Dutch company Philips but before that Decca — he also led the [PO from 1949-51. His LPs were rarely reviewed with unqualified enthusiasm in this country (though not for political reasons) and the material has slowly trickled back into the catalogue — Dutton; Music and Arts; the vanished labels Dante and Beulah; Philips of course. Even so, there's still plenty worth reissuing: a stereo Brahms Fourth comes to mind.

It's perhaps a pity that the second 'Original Masters' set contains so much Bach: all four Orchestral Suites, in ' big band' performances no longer in favour. The Bartók recording, on the Retrospective label, also suggests quite a large string complement. This disc duplicates the 1958 stereo Brahms Haydn Variations in the Philips set — other recent Retrospective issues, all in excellent remastering by Floating Earth, have

Legendary 1,11.11" record,,'g, Iron, Ole 19501 end 59600

meet, en CO ter the first tame

the same Bach Suites; Debussy lmagesand Nocturnes; Mozart Posthorn Serenade JR ET 034/5; 040; 0461.

Philips's box has a stereo Brahms Alto Rhapsody (with Aafje Heynis) and Symphony 1: impressively engineered if not quite as exciting as the conductor's earlier Decca mono version but blowing Marin Alsop's Brahms 1

(Naxos) right out of the water. There's a stereo La Mer, also ( in mono) a Handel Watermusic Suite, Mozart's

Concerto for fluteand harp, and Schubert's Symphonies 3.6 (also issued last year by EMI/I MG) and 8, the Unfinished. What is so striking about these recordings is how

well prepared the performances all are— the sheer thoughtfulness and care over phrasing makes even the early music readings, 'old fashioned' though they may be, rewarding. Van Beinum conducted Bartók and Pijper, Rossini and Bruckner with equal conviction: quite a range. CB PERFORMANCES AN UNDERVALUED MASTER OF THE ORCHESTRA RECORDINGS WELL TRANSFERRED, WITH IMPRESSIVE EARLY STEREO

'hunting' scherzo of No.7 is striking. This is altogether a tightly organised reading, where everything seems to fit, and the orchestral playing is quite magnificent. So too is the engineering, from the near inaudibility of the start of the work to the powerful brass interjections, this is a very realistic sound. There's no better way of grasping the logic of this somewhat abstract, cryptic symphony than pursuing Harnoncou d's clear vision. CB PERFORMANCE MAGNIFICENT FIFTH RECORDING SUPERB

DVORAK Symphony 6 LSO/Sir Colin Davis LSO Live LS00526 46m 19s (££) SACD hybrid This brings a new work to Sir Colins discography: a symphony so many commentators liken to Brahms's Second, in the same key. ( It was Brahms who brought Dvorak's music to the attention of his publisher Simrock; No.6 was the

first symphony he printed.) But the sweep of the open Wig movement reminds me more of Mendelssohn.

Conservative relative to Ku bel i k's glorious recording with the Berlin Philharmonic— part of a DG set and not available separately — Sir Colins reading is nevertheless supple and energetic, with some beautiful orchestral detail, notably by the LSO winds. (The Sixth in Rowicki's interesting LSO Dvorak cycle made for Philips in the late 1960s is relatively stiff and Germanic.)

The Barbican sound is a little dry but the recording is well balanced; the

conductor's vocal noises are not as otrusive as in some of the other LSO Live productions. CB PERFORMANCE DAVIS'S FIRST SIXTH RECORDING WELL DETAILED IF DRY

HAYDN Piano Sonatas and Variations Andreas Staler DHM 82876 67376 2 221m 53s (££) three discs Coming up to 50, Andreas Staier has been looking back. 'Photos document the unstoppable loss of my hair' he writes candidly in a booklet foreword. He's also been listening to his earlier recordings and finding much that he would do differently now. DHM has collected five sets of them for reissue, this one containing 13 sonatas and three sets of variations for keyboard — Staier plays a reproduction fortepiano after Anton Walter's designs. Unlike Mozart, Beethoven

and Schuoert, Haydn stopped writing for the instrument some 14

years before his death; that was because his performance needs were different; he also composed much music for amateur use ( in the proper sense). One of his last piano

pieces were the four variations on the 'Gott erhalte' theme Haydn composed as Austria's national anthem — it percolated into our own church use too.

Staier also gives us the much recorded F minor Andante con Variazione, adopting a very different stance from pianists like, for one, Annie Fischer who make it sound

like Beethoven (BBC Legends). But he nicely combines intellect and virtuosity, brewing up a storm in much of the writing elsewhere. ( It helps to reflect that Joseph Haydn never knew the Terminator films or went to a rock concert!) These 1989-91 recordings have

come up well and make a very attractive package. Those intolerant

of the fortepia no could try Andras Schiff's two Warner ' Elatus' CDs of Haydn; four of the late sonatas here are du pl.cated on 2564 60807 2. CB PERFORMANCES STYLISH AND INDIVIDUAL RECORDINGS HAVE COME UP VERY WELL

MOZART Violin Concertos 1-5 • Concertone K190 • Sinfonia Concertante K364 Shlomo Mintz, Nagai Shaham/ English Chamber Orchestra Avie AV2058 180m (especial) three discs Engineer Mike Hatch somehow

makes something of the acoustic of Air Studios, Hampstead (more than has happened with Murray Perahia's Sony recordings there), although one thing frustrates me: in the Sinfonia Concertante the viola

(Sha ham) is heard left of the violin, whereas the convention in double concertos is that the lower register

instrument will be to the right. Perhaps this comes about because, directing as well as playing, Mintz

82 JUNE 2005 HI-FiNews www.hifinews.co. u k

would have been facing the ECO,

with his colleague in the normal 'soloist' position. The ECO violins are not divided across the stage:

indeed, these are comfortably 'old-fashioned' performances, with

something of the flavour of Jeffrey Tate's Mozart accompaniments in the piano concerto recordings with Mitsuko Uchida. The orchestral expositions are

impressively phrased: Mintz is an unusually capable conductor and the overall shaping and detailing remains consistent. For my taste his Andantes and Adagios are a shade too slow and I would have preferred

a lighter accompaniment in K364(ii); some (unidentified) cadenzas outstay their welcome as well. There is some delightful oboe playing by John Anderson in the early Concertone; the cello soloist is

Josephine Knight. Here, I wasn't convinced that Nagai Shaham's brighter-toned, more nervy playing matched the suave styling of fellow Israeli Shlomo Mintz; but the phrasing in the Sinfonia

Concertante is certainly consistent. Mintz's accuracy of intonation is pretty remarkable throughout. The above may read like a

catalogue of criticisms, yet this is a

fairly good set. The classic Grumiaux recordings with Davis have the Rondo K373 and Adagio K261 in lieu of the Concertone

[Philips 438 323-21 CB PERFORMANCES SUAVE IF UNADVENTUROUS RECORDINGS A ON THE EFT?

MUSIC FOR INNER PEACE The Sixteen/Harry Christophers

Universal Classics & Jazz 9870128 77m 52s (£££) 'Over an hour of peaceful choral music' it says on the Universal packaging. All together now, 'Yukkr.

(HFN readers are spared the accompanying press release, headed ' Renaissance-Music inspired by Da Vinci', which tells us 'this best-selling collection of choral masterpieces is the ideal complement to The Da Vinci Code ... which has sold an astonishing 1.8m copies'.) But try the two opening tracks, Allegri's Miserere and Barber's Adagio (recast from the string quartet in 1967), both of which are superb- notably those ultra-high interjections in the

Miserere - and the programme can

usefully serve as pointers to composers as disparate as Poulenc

and Tavener, Sheppard and Byri! The Sixteen also programme

Bruckner, Tallis, Josquin, Monteverdi, Tomkins and

Palestrina. I was particularly taken - unexpectedly- with Gorecki's blazing affirmation 'Totus Tuus'.

If there's a problem with such a finely honed group (and the same applies to the Tallis Scholars) it is that their distinctive sound homogenises the material selected -the Bruckner motet Locus iste hasn't the gravity of the old New

Philharmonia Chorus/Wilhelm Pitz version on EMI, for instance, and one composer can seem much like another. However, as the singing is at such a high technical level and the ratio of direct to reverberant sound (engineer Mike Hatch) is attractive, this collection is perhaps worth investigating. The Barber would appear to be duplicated on a new Coro release: an all-American programme by The Sixteen/Harry

Christophers [ 16031]. CB PERFORMANCES COMPOSER SAMPLER + RECORDING VERY ENJOYABLE SOUND

BRITISH LIGHT CLASSICS Vol.2 R PO/Barry Wordsworth

Warner 2564 62020-2 64m 26s (££) Run through the track-listing and, of the 16 items, probably only

'Jumpin Bean' ( Robert Farnon) and the ' Londonderry Air' (arranged by Hamilton Harty) will ring any bells,

whereas Vol.1, reviewed in August

.918-

BRITISH LIGHT CLASSICS 2

2004, had a generous helping of

BBC signature tunes. This mid priced collection has a different production team and venue: with Martin Compton/Tony Faulkner, the sessions took place at Cadogan Hall, London. A few other items I recognised on listening and

although this is very light fare it's enjoyably presented, apart from the rather schmaltzy violin solo in the Hamilton Harty. CB

PERFORMANCES TRY VOLUME 1 FIRST RECORDING NOT DEMONSTRATION CLASS

Midpriced SACD Reissues Philips's ' Hi-Fi-Stereo' and CBS's early arrowed sleeve motif didn't cut much ice with early stereo collectors, but 'L ving Stereo' and 'Living Presence' aroused exbectations of good sound (just as 'Dynagroove' and ' Dynaflex'

ec, MERCURY LIVING PRESENCE

CHABRIER OVERTURE .01YENDOUNE• ONISE SLAVE JOYEUSE WACHS • IEURNEE FANTASQUE

ROUSSEL • SUITE IN F PAUL PARAY DETROIT SYMPHONY

signalled the opposite). As mentioned in the April RCA

roundup, availability of the 1990s CD transfers was gradually reduced but both series are being reinstated for multi-chanel playback - original discrete centre channel tracks released for the first time [' asterisked].

RCA's second batch of transfers

-all prefixed 82876 - includes audiophile favourites like Fritz Reiner's Scheherazade* coupled witl- Stravinsky's Song of the Nightingale* (much inferior to

Doraj's on Mercury) [82876 66377 2, 61,m 51s], Arthur Fiedler's Boston Pops Gáité parisienneand Fantastic Toys hop [664192, 63m 43s]and the Sibelius Violin Concerto* with Heifetz and the Chicago SO/Walter Hencl [66372 2, 68m 555] - all

three are in JVC's 'Extended Resolution' series, the Sibelius a conspicuous success. Corresponding with a disc in a

Heifetz ' Artists of the Century' double, the Sibelius is coupled with the Glazunov Concerto* (RCA Orchestra/Hendl) and Prokofiev's Second* ( Boston SO/ Munch): a terrific account, but in the Glazunov, which sounds its age, Heifetz underplays its lushness.

The first recording of the Walton Cello Concerto*, with Piatigorsky

(for whom it was written) Munch and the Boston Symphony

Orchestra, is with a robust version of the Dvorak Cello Concerto* [63752 2, 71m 22s]. The Walton remains a first choice although there's a grainy television film of the UK Royal Festival Hall premiere with Sargent on an EMI DVD. As with the batch reviewed in

April, I still find the CD layers slightly glassy and bright, shallower than their earlier transfers - though another audio feature came to altogether different conclusions, quite recently. In my opinion the Jack Pfeiffer supervised series was more akin to the analogue LPs. On Mercury we have two

Paul Paray SACDs* with the Detroit SO: Cha brier's España; Suite Pastorale; Gwendoline Overture; Marche joyeuse

Bourrée fantasque' 'Danse slave' and 'Fête polonaise' from Le Roi malgré lui [475 6183, 67m 22s]

and a Suppé overtures collection, The Beautiful Galatea; Pique Dame; Light Cavalry, Poet and Peasant; Morning, Noon and Night; Boccaccio, with Au ber's The Bronze Horse, Fra Diavolo, Masan/ello [470 638-2, 65m 44s]. I still maintain that the CD layers

sound better than ever (though

they are supposed to be exactly the same as before). Paray's Suppé has a stylishness that even Karajan

would have envied, and although Ansermet certainly brought a gentler touch to some of the

Cha brier ( his is a classic España too), this Detroit programme,

which adds Roussel's Suite in F, is thoroughly engaging. CB PERFORMANCES MOSTLY UNMISSABLE

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Rock THE DEVLINS Waves Rubyworks RWX CD 14

43m 24s (E££) Now on to their fourth album, The

Devlins create nicely understated music that can wash over a room and make it feel comfortable, but there's also a wealth of detail in their arrangements, harmonies and lyrics that demands frequent replays.

The chugging 'Don't Let It Break Your Heart' is a case in point, easy to assimilate on first listen, but then worming its way into your brain as its subtleties reveal themselves. There's a lovely contrast between the moody verses and the uplifting chorus in Everything Comes Around', but the album's first single, 'Careless Love' is probably the one to sample. If you're not captivated by this slow-burning plea for real love, then this isn't the album for you. Or else you're deaf. JB

PERFORMANCES EMOTIONAL RESONANCES RECORDING LIVE AMBIENCE

KATHLEEN EDWARDS Back To Me

Zoe Records ZOE1047 48m 23s (£££)

Her 2003 debut launched her into support slots for superstar acts including Bob Dylan and the Rolling

Stones. That she also held her own in front of an amped-up AC/DC crowd shows she's not just another country-rock slick hick chick.

The title track from this album batters along recklessly, much as Lucinda Williams once did, but Edwards's edgy, rough-hewn voice, which feels simultaneously young and old, is equally effective on the haunting slowie ' Pink Emerson Radio', and the big riffs of 'Independent Thief' could come from one of the noisier Neil

Young/Crazy Horse albums. This exceptionally gifted young

woman is going to be around a long

while indeed, so pick this up now and you'll still be crowing about it 20 years hence. JB

PERFORMANCES SINEWY ALT-COUNTRY RECORDING WOODY ROUGHNESS

FISCHERSPOONER Odyssey

EMI 7243 8 60694 2 47m 18s (£E£) The New York electro-art-pop duo of

Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner made a huge critical splash with

their first two albums, and scored some significant European chart

action with the hit single Emerge. This third album finds them

sounding a lot warmer, employing

analogue sounds, and even working with mainstream pop songwriter

Linda Perry in an effort to reach a wider audience. The dance-oriented first track 'Just Let Go' is

certainly easy to enjoy and if ' Never Win' is a little too close to Pink

Floyd's 'Another Brick In The Wall' for comfort, faith is immediately restored with the glowing, percolating 'A Kick In The Teeth', a deceptively sweet-sounding song of intense despair.

It's an album of exhilarating high points interspersed with fairly forgettable lesser songs, but cuts like the relentlessly driving 'Happy' and the Kraftwerk-meets-Paul Simon vibe of the spooky'Ritz 107' make it well worth investing in. JB

PERFORMANCES FUTURIST NOSTALGIA RECORDING INGENIOUSLY LAYERED

BRIAN KENNEDY Red Sails In the Sunset — On Song 2 Curb CURCD 160

65m 40s (£££) Brian Kennedy is blessed with a flexible light tenor voice that can send shivers up and down every bone in your body. Teaming that voice with great songs and throwing

in a clutch of estimable guest vocalists is a formula that worked beautifully for his first On Song

album so I guess he figures if it ain't broke, you don't fix it. The guests this time out are

Secret Garden, Lulu, Eddie Reader, Ralph McTell, Juliet Turner, Liam Clancy, Moya Brennan, the Celtic

Tenors and er, Barry McGuigan who, surprisingly, makes a fair fist of duetting with Kennedy on 'The Contender'. The songs are a

beautifully chosen mix of evocative folk standards and popular classics,

BRITISH SEA POWER Open Season

Rough Trade CD200 46m 40s (SEE) This acclaimed Brightcn-based quintet has been out and abolit for several years now, impressing all and sundry with attention-grabbing

support slots on tours with The Killers, Interpol, Flaming Lips and more. Those support slots reveal a

lot about British Sea Power because, like the people they've played with, they're a modern rock

bono, a bit left of centre and fond of big tunes with even bigger choruses.

Vocalist Yan (yes, just Yan) sounds like a folk-rack David Bowie on the stirring 'Be Gone', and there are hints of Brian Enoon ' Like a

Honeycomb', but quite why people

keep comparing Mem to Joy

Division, I have no idea. For me, they've more in common with The Waterboys, especially in

Hamilton's soanngguitar parts. But make no mistake, the

unexpected melancholy amid the jubilant rush of Please Stand Up', the subtle electronic textures behind the acoustic delicacy cf 'North Hanging Rock', not to mention the quirky lyrical approach to 'Oh Larsen B' — a song about Yan's favourite melting Arctic

ice shelf— are all the products of a

band that clearly has more than enougn individuality to establish itself with no need for clumsy comparisons. JB

PERFORMANCES ANTHEMIC ROCK RECORDING RAGGED GLORY

with 'Sweet Sixteen' and ' Red Sails In the Sunset' receiving particularly sympathetic treatments.

Kennedy's ethereally beautiful

but unmistakeably modern vocal technique enables him to rescue such well-loved old songs from the clichés that so often reduce thew to

dryfelics of the past, but he's a little too sweet to pull it off with folksy rants like'Insh Rover or 'Wild Colonial Boy'. This is one to buy for the best bits. JB PERFORMANCES ECLECTIC FOLK-ROCK RECORDING WARM CLARITY

JIMMY SOMERVILLE Home Again

BMG/JINX 8287 665622 2 73m 33s (EE£) It's been five years since Jimmy released an album, but nothing much has changed. That i-stant/y

identifiable helium high voice is still set against throbbing Euro-dance

beats, with soaring chorus hooks that cut easily though the synthesised sequences and burbling basses. if you're a

devotee of what Jimmy does, th's will more than satisfy but for the uncommitted, it can seem like easy-listening dance pop by the yard. The reggae slouch of 'I Will

Always Be Around' is probably the most appealing track and, at times, on cuts like ' Under A Lover's sky, Somerville cleverly recreates the

atmosphere of a 1950s MOR classic hit, the kind of thing Tony Bennett would have had a fine time with, but the problem here is the same thing that blighted the recent Erasure album — it's treading water. JB

PERFORMANCES PREDICTABLE DISCO RECORDING GUTLESSLY PRISTINE

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NAT KING COLE Just One Of Those Things S&P Records S&P-508 HQ- 180

(£specia I ) 180g vinyl One of Nat's masterpieces, a

Capitol gem from 1957 with treasures such as These Foolish

Things' and a peerless take of Duke Ellington's ' Don't Get Around Much Anymore', sounding simply

luscious on this pressing. Billy

May's arranging and conducting reaffirm his greatness, Nat sounds so relaxed he would worry Dino, and - as a treat - S&P bulked it up with bonus tracks. Don't ponder: just buy. KK PERFORMANCE 11 OUT OF 10

RECORDING 1950s CAPITOL - NEED YOU ASK?

PATRICIA BARBER Live — A Fortnight In France Classic/Blue Note JP5007 (Especial) 200g two discs Quiex SVP vinyl Café Blue Mobile Fidelity MFSL 3-45002

(especial) three 45rpm discs 180g vinyl GAIN 2 half-speed mastering Having been taken to task - severely - for my lack of

enthusiasm for jazz chanteuse Barber, I will comment onlyon the sonics. The live double, although

recorded in my idea of hell, is simply astonishing for its

presence, but also for its uncanny quietness. Perhaps the audience

was asleep. Whatever, there's no doubt that this is of ' reference' quality. But it's Café Blue,

www.hifinews.co.uk

GEORGIE FAME The Third Face of Fame Pure Pleasure/CBS 63293 (Especial) 180g vinyl

From the get-go, Georgie Fame defied most of his UK

contemporaries (except for maybe the Zombies, Manfred Mann and a few others) by hitting the pop charts with Jazz Lite. This set from 1968 finds him an established part of the

scene, sort of the Harry Connick of the era, braving material from the Beatles to Gershwin. It also includes one of his biggest hits, the dire

'Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde', but that's easily ignored. Worthy stuff, showing Fame to be an underappreciated national treasure. KK PERFORMANCES SWINGING RECORDING SMOOTH

WILLIE NELSON Stardust Classic/Columbia JC35305 (Especial) four 45rpmdiscs 200g Quiex SVP vinyl On the surface, this is the most extreme case of audiophilic insanity

so far by Classic: not only did they reissue Willie's set of covers of standards at 45rpm (as with Barber above), they also spread it over four 12in discs. Single-sided discs no less. As there are only ten tracks to

begin with, it's like playing four 12mn singles. But all the getting-up-and-down action to change records is worth it: the transient rapidity and

detail made available by the higher speed are astonishing. Nelson's

effectively her Sgt Pepper, that will have the fans intumescent: this is a

killer 45rpm pressing, spread by necessity over three 12in discs. If you adore this release, and can't get

enough if it, this has to be its ultimate incarnation. Now, would somebody please buy Barber some Wheatus or Smithereens albums? KK PERFORMANCES INCREDIBLY INTIMATE RECORDINGS ITS LIKE CD NEVER HAPPENED

THE WHO Who's Next Classic/Track DL79182 (Especial) 200g Quiex SVP vinyl Heralding the next complete

catalogue to be reissued by Classic is the Who's most respected LP. And this edition of it will render you

speechless. Tons of low-level info, greater transparency, incredible

voice is warmer, more in-the-room. Bottom end? As rich as a chocolate-covered Oreo. Quite why Classic chose not to include the two bonus tracks on the Legacy CD is a mystery. KK PERFORMANCE A CAREER BEST? RECORDING A MILESTONE MADE EVEN BETTER

DOC WATSON Home Again! CiscoNanguard VSD-79239 (Especial) 180g vinyl

More guitar mastery from a folk legend, Watson backed by Russ Savakus on str ng bass and Merle

Watson on second guitar. Dating from

1966, this disc exhibits all of the

'air' and richness associated with Vanguard recordings of the

time, but the sonics are secondary: Watson is a wizard, and you'll love this if you've ever sat in

impact- not that a mint original sounds bad. This is rousing from start to finish, rock at its most majestic, and The Who at the peak of their powers. Listen for Dave Arbus's violin on 'Baba O'Riley' and Moon's percussion throughout. Can't wait to see what they do with The Who Sell Out. KK PERFORMANCE CAREER-DEFINING

RECORDING YOU CAN SEE THE ARMS FLAIL

ecstacy and awe in front of a Richard Thompson LP sleeve.

Fourteen ballads, spirituals and rags, including a fabulous a

cappella opener, ' Down To The Valley To Pray'. KK PERFORMANCE RIGHTEOUSLY RUSTIC RECORDING UNDENIABLY URBANE

LINK WRAY 84 HIS RAY MEN Jack The Ripper Sundazed LP5192 (Especial) mono 180g vinyl Originally issued by Swan in 1963, this is the essence of Wray, especially if you agree that ' Rumble' is the sassiest, nastiest, twangiest

piece of instrumental street rock ever, redolent of black leather

jackets and buckets of Brylcreem. The mono mix has the requisite punch to make your high-end system sound like a pocket radio -

only with volume. Period stuff, but the artistry is authentic. Hank, hear it and weep. KK PERFORMANCE GREASY

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Overture


Audiophile

BACK BY 4PULAR EMAND

KEB' MO' Peace...BackByPopular Demand Okeh/Epic EK 92687 39m 47s (£££)

Though known as a blues/roots revivalist à la Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo' has more than a little rock juice in his veins. Moreover, he's a Baby Boomer ( born in 1951) unashamed of the airwaves of his youth. This

magnificent set consists entirely of covers from the Flower Power era. Its timing is no doubt due to current activity in the Middle East, but even cynics cannot fail to be moved by utterly heart-breaking renditions of 'For What It's Worth' ( Buffalo Springfield), Get Together' (The You ngbloods), 'and 'The Times They Are A-Changin" ( Bob Dylan). And the sound? It left Editor Harris slack-jawed. Without question, a contender for the year's, and maybe

the decade's, best. KK PERFORMANCE TRANSCENDENT RECORDING STATE OF THE ART

PEDER AF UGGLAS Autumn Shuffle Opus 3 CD 22042

52m 52s (£special) Trust the Swedes at Opus 3 to give us a fresh break from tradition. This

is blues at heart, played in that quiet, contemplative way rather than my-baby-just-left-me torch songs. It's all instrumental stuff— and what a fine mixture of instruments they are. Besides Ugglas' considered guitar lines, there's everything from trombone to didgeridoo to location-

recorded church organ. Audiophiles will love this for the broad spectrum of timbres and the stately manner in which they are captured in space. Music lovers will enjoy the sincere and soulful musicianship and good tunes. This is a multichannel SACD, but worth hearing on CD alone. AH PERFORMANCE CEREBRAL YET SOULFUL RECORDING AIRY, NATURAL, INVITING

DUALDISC

BLONDIE The Curse of Blondie Silverline 284599-2 65m 27s (£special) DualDisc Blondie are back with their eighth

studio album, featuring the unmistakable voice of Deborah Harry. She's in fine singing form,

showing glimpses of her 1980s' sassy heroine, with the opener

'Shakedown' adding a new rap twist more reminiscent of Eminem.

Contrary to the suggestion on the sleeve notes, there is no PCM stereo mix, only a low-res Dolby Digital 2.0

and 5.1 track as an alternative to the 5.124/96 mix. Sound quality on the CD side is good, with tight production to keep the album

flowing but the 24/96 downmixed to stereo suffered from similar problems to the Gary Moore album here, showing an underwhelming

overall mix. Check out the return-to-form single of'Good Boys', also included in music video form, albeit only playable on DVD-A players. AH

PERFORMANCE 80S RETRO MEETS 21ST C RECORDING SLICK

GARY MOORE Back To The Blues Silverline 284547-2 53m 25s (especial) DualDisc Rock guitar legend Moore gets back

to the blues; but this is no 12-bar auto- pilot yawnfest. There's fire and passion in both his playing and singing, making this the most musically potent statement of all the DualDisc releases.

All the more pity then that while the CD layer showed this barely

bottled excitement, the DVD-A side's sound was terrible when played in stereo. With no dedicated two-channel mix, the 5.1 track must be downmixed by the player, and the result was unlistenable — flat,

hollow and without any substance to vocals and lead guitar, almost as if

the centre channel had been ignored completely. AH PERFORMANCE INSPIRING RECORDING CD GOOD. DVD BAD

GENE SIMMONS ***hole Silverline 284601-2 45m 13s ( special) DualDisc

Former Kiss frontman Gene Simmons has his 2004 solo album released on DualDisc, and it's one of the better packages of the first batch of the format [ but see below]. On the DVD side is the full album with

separate DVD-A 5.1 and stereo

24/96 sections, plus the raunchy video to his cover of The Prodigy's 'Firestarter'. Access to the extras section of the disc, which holds the video, is not obvious but some searching in the top menu of the disc will find it. The music varies

between deep-voiced ballad to all-out Spinal Tap-esque heavy

rock, with the blanked-out title track '** -hole reminiscent of Zappa at his most insulting. Auditioned in

stereo, the CD layer was preferred to DVD-A for its superior mix. AH PERFORMANCE G:3gD SLEAZY ROCK ' N' ROLL

RECORDING CD BETTER THAN 5.1 DOWNMIX

DUAL BUT NOT UNIVERSAL

Despite assurances from the DualDisc

marketeers, the DualDisc albums supplied for these reviews do not play on every CD player. In fact, both reference CD players chosen had problems, one refusing to recognise any of these discs and the other playing certain discs, and then only intermittently. These experiences are echoed by other reviewers who have

found many high-quality universal DVD players and CD players that are

unable to play the CD side of a DualDisc.

As with any DVD-A releases, there is a question mark over absolute quality due to the use of watermark distortion embedded within the music. The three Silverline discs reviewed here also included compressed audio files in MC and WMA form, treated with

Dolby Headphone processing. This is intenoed to make a better representation of a surround-sound

speaker system while using

headphones; but this actually gave a hollowed out, vacuous sound that had little to recommend it. Other features allow you to access

an internet site to read the same information already included on the

disc, or watch a low-quality streaming version of a video. if one is included on the disc. This meant a tedious process of first registering as a member, then typing in the disc's barcode number.


DSPerate times Is digital signal processing (DSP) the panacea to all audiophile ills? Keith Howard finds that it can't make a bad speaker good

For the past decade and more, certain audio pundits have been forecasting that digital signal processing (DSP) is poised to revolutionise our expectations of high-quality

sound reproduction. We're not talking here of digital audio per se but the use of computer algorithms to manipulate sound so as to enhance the listening experience. There are two primary areas where this is predicted to occur: in the correction of room acoustics, and in the improvement of loudspeaker performance.

First-generation room correction systems, like those

produced by Marantz and SigTech, were sonically dire. Putting them in circuit in bypass mode was enough to

screw the sound. On the loudspeaker front things looked much more positive with Meridian's introduction of its first DSP-assisted digital speaker, the DSP6000, in 1990. But there was no rush to follow

DSP triumphant: TacT's acclaimed room-correction system works very well — but correcting speaker behaviour is another story

this trail-blazing example. In fact Meridian has remained the only notable exponent of the DSP

loudspeaker within the high-end domestic hi-fi industry for most of the 15-year interim. But there are, at long last, signs that this is all

changing. TacT Audio's room correction system has

overturned many people's negative preconceptions of DSP's potential in this area, and DSP-assisted

loudspeakers are no longer such a rarity. As you may have read in April's news pages, for example, NHT has incorporated DSP in its new Xd sub-sat system, using technology developed by Australian company DEQX. And DEQX itself (www.deqx.com) sells an outboard digital correction system which is claimed to provide both room correction and speaker correction. At a less ambitious level, other manufacturers have introduced


Feature

DSP systems which deploy digital parametric equalisation to counter room resonances.

Clearly now is a good time to take a dispassionate

look at what DSP can realistically be expected to deliver and — just as importantly — what it can't. Room correction has already been considered in these pages', so here the focus is on DSP in loudspeakers.

As we will see, the answer to the question 'What can DSP do?' depends critically on whether the DSP is designed into the loudspeaker or whether it is applied as an aftermarket 'fix'. DSP loudspeaker correction is far better applied as an integral part of the design process. Tacking it on afterwards will always be the second-best option, particularly when the correction relies on in situ measurement rather than being supplied as a bespoke plug-in. We were promised a speaker correction system of the latter type many years ago from Perpetual Technologies, as an extension of its P-IA upsampler, but as yet it still hasn't materialised.

IN THE SPEAKER: INTEGRAL DSP

Let's begin by looking at the superior option: what DSP can achieve when it is integrated in the loudspeaker design. For cues on this we can crib from Meridian's application of DSP in its loudspeakers, which is described in the words of chairman and co-founder Bol) Stuart in the interview overleaf. If we set aside the user controls (tone, loudness, image steering) and the protection functions (cone excursion and thermal) — which is not to discount their worth — and concentrate

on those interventions intended to improve core sound quality, then Meridian's DSP speakers apply their digits in two areas: crossover filtering and equalisation.

Digital filtering for crossovers has a number of

advantages. First, digital filters are of repeatably high precision — there are no component tolerance issues as there are with analogue filters, whether active or

passive. Second, it is easy to achieve very high rates of roll-off. Whereas analogue crossovers are rarely steeper

than fourth-order (24dB per octave), a digital crossover might use 10th-order (60dB per octave) slopes or higher. Third, it is a simple matter to make a digital crossover linear-phase, so that it introduces no phase distortion. Achieving the same with an analogue

crossover involves greater complication, particularly with high-order filters.

High-rate crossover filters have a number of potential advantages. Steep low-pass filters can help suppress the effect of cone breakup resonances above the driver's passband, while steep high-pass filters can

improve a driver's power handling, particularly in the case of tweeters. Steep filtering also has the effect of reducing the overlap between drivers and hence the frequency range over which non-coincident driver positioning has an

Meridian's first DSP speaker appeared in 1990: this is the

current top-of-the- line 8000

Fig 1. 1. Impulse responses of the low-pass ( red trace) and high-pass (blue trace)

sections of a high- rate linear-phase crossover ( 12th- order, double-Butterworth

amplitude response, 300Hz) display severe oscillation, but so long as they are accurately time aligned ( a) their ringing cancels to produce a perfect impulse

response ( b). Add a 3ms delay to the high-pass output — equivalent to a physical separation of less than 1 metre — and the cancellation is lost ( c), leaving a highly

oscillatory combined response ( d). Horizontal divisions are 10ms.

effect on the loudspeaker's oil-axis response. However, this reduced overlap is, potentially, a two-edged sword in that any disparity in directivity between the drivers

will now manifest itself as a step change in the loudspeaker's directional behaviour, rather than a more gentle transition.

This has to be carefully managed if optimum results are to be achieved, and it touches on a recurrent theme in the application of DSP to loudspeakers. If you improve the speaker's direct sound in a way that has negative consequences for its off-axis performance, this is generally a bad move — and not just because of what listeners seated away from the 'hot seat' will experience. As extensive research by Harman has shown', the performance of a loudspeaker off the listening axis has a significant effect on sound quality, being one of the most important determinants (along with on-axis frequency response and resonant

DSP loudspeaker correction is far better applied as an integral

part of the design process

behaviour) of its perceived sound quality. Sitting in the

best seat in the house doesn't insulate you from this effect, so off-axis performance matters for all listeners.

Another example of this in the context of high-order crossover filters is incomplete cancellation of the transient oscillation which they produce. Although the ringing of the low-pass and high-pass filters cancels

when they are time-aligned, for non-coaxial drive units this time alignment cannot be maintained everywhere

www.h if inews.co. u k Hi-FiNews JUNE 2005 91

Meridian has more experience of applying digital

signal processing to speakers than anyone. I asked

chairman Bob Stuart about Meridian's use of DSP

and his philosophy on what is feasible to correct.

'Meridian Audio has been using DSP in

production loudspeakers since 1990; in fact our first

model, DSP6000, is still in production. We have a

strong view on the correct mix of digital and

analogue processing, and what you should or

shouldn't do to a loudspeaker using DSP.

'What we use DSP for is firstly the crossover,

which in our case is linear- phase and very high

slope. The benefit you get from a smooth axial

response is highly significant; phase linearity is

second order but you can definitely hear it and it

matters in high-performance systems. Of course,

linear-phase crossovers are essentially unique to DSP

loudspeakers. We also use DSP for time alignment,

image steering, equalisation — which gives us a really

good impulse response — and user controls such as

tone and loudness. And we have a very transparent,

mixed analogue-digital volume control.

'That's really important because what we are

always trying to do with the speaker — and which is

impossible using a generic external box — is to

maximise the dynamic range in the digital path for

each driver. We use high- resolution 48- bit processing

to keep computational errors far below audibility, by

at least 20dB. But the broad-brush equalisation is

done in analogue because if you expect the DSP to

do a 10dB correction then you are throwing away

10dB of dynamic range in the DAC.

'There are two more things we do with DSP. One

is bass protection, which adjusts the bass response

at very high levels. This way we can make speakers

which ' breathe' nicely and sound natural but don't

bottom out when you push them at a party. In some

models there is thermal protection: the DSP

computes in real time the temperature of the voice

Bob Stuart:

'DSP can be

used to make

outstanding

loudspeakers —

but when used

incorrectly it

can add as

many problems

as it solves'

coil. When things get nasty, the volume is cut back

automatically — but it is really loud by that point!

'My feeling about using DSP to improve sound

quality is that you must have a good transducer to

start with. We don't do "silk purses out of sows'

ears". If you try to use DSP to correct for most

coloration you are on a loser. That shows a

tremendous misunderstanding of psychoacoustics.

There are lots of low level resonances in a speaker

that radically affect the sound but which a simple in-

room measurement will not find. More importantly,

those resonances will be different if you change the

ambient temperature. So you could 'fix something,

but on a hot day (or when the driver warms up) it

wouldn't be fixed at all, it could well be worse. To

correct issues in a transducer you need to measure it

anechoically and separate the artefacts that can be

reliably corrected from those that can't. It isn't

possible to get this exactly right in a room setting.

'You also have a )roblem if the cabinet is not

completely dead. It's intuitively obvious that if there

is a cabinet resonance radiating to the side or back,

you cannot fix that by squirting a cancelling signal

out of the driver. You can correct it at one location in

the room but everywhere else you are going to hear

two colorations. That's the point: any correction that

off-axis. As a result, the speaker's off-axis sound may be coloured. An illustration of this is given in Fig 1. The desirability of linear-phase crossovers has been

debated for decades, but my experience aligns with Bob Stuart's: eliminating phase distortion does make a small but distinct improvement to sound quality'. High-resolution frequency response equalisation is

an obvious application for DSP and can fix some time domain problems as well. For example, diffraction effects — in which sound is re-radiated from sharp discontinuities at cabinet edges — are minimum phase

Digital filters are of repeatably high precision — there are no component tolerance issues

by nature6, so correcting the resultant ripples in the

frequency response with minimum-phase filtering also cancels the effect in the time domain. But even as a high-resolution equaliser DSP has to be applied judiciously. As a rule it should never be used to correct deep, narrow dips in response — in any ease, much less audible than equivalent peaks — or to provide any large

makes things worse elsewhere in the room is not a

good idea. This will also come up if an in-room

correction cancels, for example a ' hot' reflection

from a sidewall or piece of furniture. If you sit

anywhere else you will not only still hear the

reflection, you will also hear the cancellation signal

at a slightly different time, resulting in added

coloration. Better to fix the reflection.

'A good DSP speaker will sound better because it

is time aligned, has a nice impulse response, and

because it's active — which accounts for more than

70% of the benefits. Several of the attributes of our

speakers are attributes of active operation.

'I don't think that fixing non-linear distortion is

essentially a DSP problem. You can use it for this,

but any kind of feed-forward correction is quite a

crude approach. The first prototypes of the M1 that

we made in 1975 had nonlinear distortion

correction, believe it or not, but it is very difficult to

achieve because of variations between drivers, and

especially in a system if there are air leaks in the

enclosure. If you want to correct distortion effectively

then you have tc use a feedback approach. Feedback

reduces the working bandwidth of each driver, so you

end up with more crossovers, so it is non-trivial.

Because of delays in digital systems, effective

motional feedback should be at least partly

analogue. DSP is used in professional applications to

correct highly predictable distortions like air non-

linearity at the throat of a compression horn, but

Meridian doesn't make horns. If you pick carefully,

non-linear distortion in conventional midrange drivers

and tweeters is not an over-riding problem, and

selecting which problems to solve is part of the skill,

even the art, of DSP loudspeaker design.

'In the future we may see DSP used to create

speakers of a different form factor that produce more steerable images. But you will have to ask me about

that another time!'

correction that has the effect of significantly reducing the effective dynamic range of the downstream DAC. You might be surprised that no mention has been

made thus far of the possibility of using DSP to correct diaphragm resonances in the driver and/or structural resonances in the cabinet. DSP can certainly be used to generate anti-resonances but the utility of this is

debatable. Bob Stuart's position is uncompromising: it doesn't work effectively. Even if effective in certain situations, it's likely that the correction would have to be individually dimensioned for each loudspeaker that rolls off the production line. Inevitable inconsistencies in drive unit and cabinet manufacture mean that, if there are prominent resonances to correct in the first place, they are likely to vary sufficiently in frequency, Q and relative level that a 'one size fits all' correction regime won't be effective. There are further problems if the measurement to determine the resonances is made within a constricted time window, as is inevitably so in

the case of aftermarket DSP correction.

THE BOLT-ON APPROACH Applying DSP correction using an aftermarket 'black box' generally relies on the user performing in-room measurements on the loudspeaker to be corrected. This

constitutes a major limitation on what can be achieved


Feature

DSP from Downunder: NHT's Xd sub-sat system uses

technology developed by Australian company DEQX

because the available reflection-free measurement window (reflections must be eliminated in order to measure the behaviour of the loudspeaker itself rather

than its interaction with the room) will be very short, typically a few milliseconds. This badly compromises

the frequency resolution of the measurement — a problem I've described in these pages before'.

If we assume a measurement window of 4ms (which is on the generous side of what will typically be achieved), the frequency resolution of the measurement is a poor (1/0.004 .) 250Hz. This precludes the accurate measurement of frequency response irregularities much below, say, 2.5IcHz — and,

of course, any correction contrived in the DSP must be as poorly resolved as the measurement it is based on.

Pre- and post-filtering can be applied to the speaker's measured impulse response' to improve the situation dramatically. But there are two practical impediments to the application of this technique in the aftermarket

DSP context. First, it depends on foreknowledge of the speaker's bass alignment, which would normally be obtained (in the case of a passive speaker) via

measurement of its impedance modulus versus frequency. This involves a further measurement for which the DSP unit would have to provide. If the speaker is active and offers no direct access to the bass driver then an impedance measurement is impossible without invasive surgery. Second, even if the bass

alignment can be determined, the filtering technique can be undone by the presence of just one high-Q resonance, the cabinet being the most likely source. This inability to measure accurately a speaker's

response at lower audio frequencies — which also hampers the identification of cabinet resonances — is a severe handicap for aftermarket DSP products. And it is no use heeding appeals to surround the speaker with

absorbent materials for the measurement, as if this creates a mini anechoic environment. In fact the sound absorbents that users are likely to have access to will have negligible absorption at low frequencies — which is precisely the problem area, as already described.

AND SO...

While there is little doubt that the careful application of DSP

correction to loudspeakers can give valuable performance improvements, in addition to other benefits, it is not the panacea it is sometimes made out to be. Of what are known to be the three principal determinants of loudspeaker subjective performance, at least on the macroscopic level — on-axis frequency response, off-axis behaviour and resonant signature — digital signal

processing can be of major benefit to one (frequency response), little benefit to

another (off-axis response) unless we consider complex phased arrays of drive units, and

of debatable benefit to the third (resonance signature). So DSP is not a band aid that can be used to cover up basic inadequacies in speaker design; rather, it is a

means of building on the performance of what is already an inherently good loudspeaker. The case for aftermarket digital correction is

particularly tenuous because of the fundamental

" Even as a high-resolution equaliser, digital signal processing

has to be applied judiciously difficulties inherent in achieving sufficient resolution at low frequencies using in-room measurements. Some clever and probably time consuming iterative pre- and post-processing of the windowed impulse response might, in theory, overcome this restriction, but I know of nobody who claims to have developed such a system, and it would be quite a trick if you could. As those industry people who have the right mix of

acoustic, psychoacoustic and digital expertise will tell you, making any loudspeaker sound different by applying DSP correction is trivially easy. In that respect it is a marketing man's dream product. But making a good loudspeaker sound unquestionably and consistently better with DSP is a much taller order. MI

1) K Howard, ' DRC is set to boom', Hi-Fi News, November 2003

2) S E Olive, 'A Multiple Regression Model for Predicting Loudspeaker Preference Using Objective

Measurements: Part II — Development of the Model', Preprint 6190, Audio Engineering Society 117th Convention, October 2004

3) K Howard, 'Yes, we cal hear loudspeaker phase)', Hi-Fi News, December 2000

4) M Gerzon. 'Measure for measure', Studio Sound, July 1992 ( downloadable as ' Digital room equalisation' from www.audiosignal.cookigerzon%20archive)

5) L R Fincham, 'The Subjective Importance of Uniform Group Delay at Low Frequencies', Preprint 2056, AES 74th Convention, October 1983

6).1M (ates, ' Loudspeaker Cabinet Reflection Effects', JAES, vol 27, no 5, pp338-350, May 1979

7) K Howard, 'A matter of time', Hi-Fi News, May 2004

8) L R Fincham, 'Refinements in the Impulse Testing of Loudspeakers', Preprint 2055, AES 74th Convention, October 1983

9) E Benjamin, 'Extending Quasi-Anechoic Electroacoustic Measurements to Low Frequencies', Audio Engineering Society 117th Convention, October 2004

www.hifinews.co.uk HI-FiNev,/,; JUNE 2005 93

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Views

Please write to: Views, Hi-Fi News, IPC Media, Leon House, 233 High Street, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 1HZ • email: [email protected] — FAO: 'Views'

Meridian's 8081 CD player... and DVD-A I read with great interest your somewhat terse

review of the Meridian 808i Signature CD player

[April '05]. My experiences in regard to this

machine may prove to be of some interest to

your readers. I own a vintage Meridian 508/24

CD player which I play through its balanced

outputs and Nordost Quattro Fil interconnects in

my Nagra PLL-VPA-Tannoy Yorkminster system.

In a direct comparison I felt that the 808,

though superior in some aspects to the older

Meridian machine, hardly justified the exorbitant

cost of the upgrade. Could this be due to the

fact that the 808 sports a switching power

supply and a DVD playback assembly, as is now

common in all DVD players? I for one expect

more in a flagship CD player effort.

Michele Surdi, Rome

Andrew Harrison responds: A recent

conversation with Bob Stuart at Meridian brought

an almost unbelievable yet very important detail

to my attention, which goes some way to

justifying the engineering decisions made, and

Soldering on Pleased to see Clive Meakins got his soldering

iron out and built a DRD3006 ] May, p401. I only

wish he had used the amp on even more efficient

speakers to really show what Ron Welborne's

amps are capable of. Next time Clive, go for the

DRD45 fully tricked out with silver trannies and

some decent horn-speakers.

You can probably tell that I've been using the

'45 amp for some time with a CD player direct

into them with horn speakers. The purity and

presence is scary, very scary. Plus you get the

chance to use valves from 1930, pretty cool eh!

If you do get the opportunity Clive, buy the

DRD45, build it for a friend? Or just keep it for

those intimate moments and spread the word. By

the way: change the Sovtek 6n 1p for a cryo

version from Tubeman.com — it worked for me.

Barry Black, email

More slate under speakers Like N S Francis ['Views', May], I too have a

suspended floor and carpet, so spikes are no

good. I came to a slightly different solution. I

had some slabs of slate made (plentiful here!),

slightly larger than the bottom of my TDL

Monitors. Using the spike threads imbedded in

the speakers I found four long round-head bolts

44k 1 16E it LPC1 CC

Meridian's top-of-the-range 808i

Signature: this 'CD-only' player

may not be quite what it seems...

the ensuing sound quality for CD replay, of the

Meridian 808i player. Despite its outward

appearance and the manner in which it is

advertised and marketed, the 808 is in fact an

audio-only DVD player — more precisely, a two-

channel DVD-Audio player, unfettered by video

and drilled through the 2in-thick slate. With wide

washers, the bolts then screwed tightly into the

spike holders essentially making the heavy slate

slab and speaker one unit. The flat round-head

bolts glide on the carpet for positioning, and the

slate looks good under the speakers. Perhaps

others with suspended floors might choose

granite or marble if they can source it locally.

Also, over the years Hi-Fi News has reviewed

the Audio Synthesis' DAX series but not, it

seems, the current Discrete model ( unless I

missed it?). Any plans to?

Gareth Williams, Porthmadog

• We covered the DAX Discrete in a 'Sweetspot'

reader system feature in August '04.

The future of hi-fi A couple of things have made me think in the

past few days about hi-fi today and in the future.

Jamie Oliver has been doing a programme on

food for children and apparently upon asking

whilst holding up a carrot 'what is this?', was

answered 'onion', ' potato', etc.

Basically, the children had no idea. What has

this to do with hi-fi? I'll get to that in a moment.

The second thing that made me think was

Natasha Beddingfield's concert being broadcast

LJLJLJ LJLILj ee E-3—p-E1 eseeee

uuu ememe MMIMMet eesucp cliCJULI; ( C:3MC:1

circuitry. This information has been revealed

exclusively to Hi- F. News and will prompt a

revisit to the 808 w player', when we will

investigate its stereo DVD-A performance.

Hopefully Mr Surdi will find the results of our

extended listening tests of great interest too!

on mobile phones — and the presenter saying that

you now no longer had to go to a concert to

experience it. These two things have both got me

a bit worried for the future purchasers of hi-fi.

If children do not know a carrot from another

vegetable what chances have they of knowing the

difference between a guitar and a piano, yet

alone a clarinet and an oboe? If their only

association with live music is through a mobile

phone, how on eare would they know what a

musical instrument should sound like?

Therefore, if they don't know what real music

sounds like, would they want to spend thousand

of pounds trying to replicate the sound of real

music in their own environment?

What effect is this going to have on the future

hi-fi buying public? I would love to know other

people's opinions on this.

Paul Delarue, email

New arm for an LP12 I have a Linn Sondek LP12 ( 1988 vintage) with

a Basik Plus tonearm and a Dynavector 10X5

cartridge. My amplifier is a Sugden 21a and my

speakers are ProAc Response 1SCs.

I am looking to upgrade my tonearm — it cost

£129 at the time! The cheapest tonearms that

would make any appreciable difference seem to

Guarantee yourself a copy of Hi-Fi News every month Call our subscriptions hotline now on 01622 778778


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Views

start at about £800, which on the basis that my

turntable, tonearm and cartridge in 1988 cost

me £740 in total and the fact that there hasn't

been hyper inflation since then does seem rather

disproportionate!

Do you have any suggestions for a tonearm

upgrade for between £300 to £400

that would be a meaningful upgrade?

Mark Benjamin, Manchester

• Andrew Harrison responds: There are a few

tonearms on the market costing around or below

£400 that may be suitable for use on an LP12,

and should bring a worthwhile improvement over

the Linn Basik Plus arm.

A Rega arm will fit the LP12, using a Rega

armboard available from Linn, and Origin Live has

a selection of upgrades that can be applied to the

standard Rega RB series arms, including

structural modifications and rewiring, prices

starting from £70. Hadcock arms are known to

work on LP12s, and the cheapest, the basic

Hadcock 228, costs £407. The Clearaudio

Emotion is an entry-level turntable whose Satisfy

gymbal-bearing tonearm is available separately

and prices start at £385. Fitting this arm may

require some re-drilling of mounting holes on the

LP12 armboard.

Finally, from Pro-Ject there are three variants

on the 9 tonearm, and both the standard and

carbon-fibre versions should fit the LP12, priced

at £250 and £400 respectively

Vote for digital crossovers Although Julian Stevens letter 'TacTful

Correction' [' Views', Feb '05] was directed

towards the capabilities of the Tact 2.2X, it also

seemed to cast unfair doubt over the intrinsic

opportunities offered by digital crossovers

generally. I felt his opinion that ' it may not be

possible to produce a software-generated

substitute for a passive crossover, painstakingly

designed for a particular combination of cabinet

and drivers' was ill-informed.

Are we in the hi-fi industry so backward that

we can actually take such views seriously, or do

we prefer to bury our heads in the sand? Why

don't we shake off the image of being beardy old

men tweaking our record players, and actually

start to appreciate technological advancement?

Digital crossover/DSP technology offers the

speaker industry the greatest opportunity for

high-fidelity offered to consumers in decades,

and it is an embarrassment that more high-end

speaker manufacturers aren't even interested in

using it! Pioneering companies such as TacT

have therefore taken it upon themselves,

resulting in a less-than- ideal combination or

Backwards compatible?

SME 3009 II Improved tonearms,

right way round this time

Really enjoyed the SME article in May's HFN.

Amazed that you found promotional shots

[page 61] of the rare Australian models

designed for turntables that go anti-clockwise.

Either that or the art department is taking huge

liberties...

Robert Rancan, email

• This picture of the SME 3009 II Improved

arms got flipped in the May issue. So here

they are again, but the right way round this

time. On the left is the detachable-headshell

version, seen here fitted here with SME's

optional FD200 silicone- fluid damper; on the

right, the fixed-headshell version of the arm.

crossovers and speaker from different stables.

Passive crossovers are technically incapable of

offering linear frequency and phase resporse.

Active analogue crossovers offer a step up,

providing the theoretical capability for at least a

linear frequency design, but still not linear

phase. Digital crossovers/DSP, however, offer us

the opportunity to put these limitations aside,

end. Even the idea of using active speakers,

with analogue active crossovers, which has been

known to offer superior performance over the

amp-to- passive-crossover-to-speakers concept

for years, is still not widely adopted. A handful

of manufacturers with the finest electronic

design minds in the industry behind them are

pushing the boundaries to give buyers what they

Why don't we shake off the image of being beardy old men tweaking our

record players? offering the theoretical capability for both linear

frequency and linear phase response, plus so

much more.

By putting the crossover entirely in the digital

domain within an active speaker approach, the

speaker designer can choose his/her ideal choice

of drivers mounted in an optimised enclosure.

The frequency and phase characteristics of these

individual drivers can then be corrected in DSP;

virtually any filter order is possible. Doesn't that

sound like a speaker designer's dream?

There is something very wrong with the

speaker industry at large, particularly at the high

It deserve from today's technology. One such

company is Meridian — I encourage your readers

to take a demo of the DSP7000 and tell me

that digital crossovers don't kick butt when it

comes to reproducing reality.

I have little hope for the widespread use of

digital technology in speakers, particularly as

the hi-fi buying public seem so content to buy

the drivel we were buying back in the 1970s,

and for considerable sums of money too.

Stephen Ritchie, Tunbridge Wells

• See DSPerate times', page 90.

• Correspondents express their own opinions, not those of Hi-Fi News. We reserve the right to edit or shorten letters for publication. Correspondents using e-mail are

asked to give their full postal address ( which won't be published). Letters seeking advice will be answered, resources permitting, and at our discretion, but we regret that we're unable to answer questions on buying specific items of hi-fi. We regret that we cannot answer hi-fi queries over the telephone.

vvww.hifinews.co.uk Hi-FiNc\N:, JUNE 2005 97

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Competition

A striking and

£2000 Lumley Lampros speakers

exciting floorstander — the Lumley Lampros 100/S2

If you've ever been intrigued by the sweeping

curves and unusual driver arrays of Lumley's

Lampros speakers, now is your chance to win a

pair. The man behind Lumley, and distribJtor

Metropolis Music, is John Jeffries, whose first

commercial speaker was the Nightingale back

in the 1970s. He's been enthusiastically

perfecting loudspeakers ever since! The

current Lampros Series 2 range has evolved significantly from the original series first seen

in 2000, with new driver configurations and

revised cabinets. We're delighted to offe( as

our star prize a pair of Lumley Lampros

100/S2 speakers, which retail at £ 1995/pair.

Lumley believes that enclosure design is

fundamental to performance: the first

requirement is to create ar inert mechanical

earth' platform for mounting the drivers. To

this end an inclined dual differential baffle is

used along with cleverly bowed side, top, and

back panels.

Bass unit for the Lampros 100/S2 is a 7in unit from the highly-respected German maker

Eton, using Eton's Hexacone technology in

which a very light and rigid 'sandwich' cone is

formed of honeycombed Nomex material

between two layers of Kevlar, to give fast, even

and deep bass. The midrange is a 2.5 inch

Morel soft-dome unit, a self-contained unit which has custom damp.ng

applied. The tweeter is the distinctive Visaton Magnezostat ribbon unit.

Finally, the additional rear-facing bass/mid unit is a 5 inch Audax tyoe.

This runs full-range, 150Hz-4kHz.

An important aspect of Lumley's approach

is provision for the user to tune the speakers

to his/her room and listening tastes. All

Lampros speakers use reflex ported cabinets,

and come with a range of foam bungs of

different densities. By inserting different

bungs, the user can adjust the bass output

from the port for fine in-room tuning. Also,

two special hardwired plug-in jumpers on the

rear panel are wired directly to the upper crossover input, giving control over the output

levels of both the ribbon tweeter and the

midrange dome driver. Finally, there is an

attenuation control for the rear-firing bass

unit, which allows the ambient reflected

sound to be tailored to the room and its

surroundi ngs.

Each loudspeaker has two separate

crossovers, mounted individually and bonded

to an anti-resonance surface internally. They

are hardwired using silver plated OFC cabling

and use custom wound air core inductors

along with Audience capacitors.

Standard finishes are Walnut, Light Oak,

Dark Oak, Mahogany, Teak, Natural Cherry,

Rosewood and Black Ash, but any finish is

available to special order. Front baffles and

grilles ( not shown here) are covered with a silky black velour cloth

material; the rear baffle is finished in black laminate.

Enter today and you could own a pair of these great speakers! •

HOW TO ENTER Competition rules Entnes must be received by Friday. 17 June 2005. 11 The competition

open to UK readers aged 18 and over, except employees of IPC Media.

Lumley or their agents Overseas readers are not eligible to enter

21 Photocopied entry forms are accepted. but only one entry per reade. accepted: multiple entrants will be disqualified. 31 There is no cash x'

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press. WC Media cannot be held responsible for any errors or

discrepancies. 4) The winner will be selected shortly alter the closing

date and ovil be contacted by post. SI The Editor's dfasion will be final

and binding and no correspondence will be entered into. The Winners

name will be published in the September OS issue of Hr-Fr News. 61 The

winner should be prepared to co-operate with publicity arising as a result of winning the prize 71 Entry to this competition implies acceptance of

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rComplete this entry form ( or 3 photocopy) and post it to LUMLEY COMPETITION, Hi-Fi News, PO Box

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Answer the following three questions:

0) How would you describe

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I I

I I

Kevlar

Hexacole sandwich

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Daytime tel

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I 1

(2) What is the frequency range of the Lampros 100/S2's rear-firing driver?

I I 100Hz-1 kHz Li 150Hz-2kHz

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Address

(3) What type of bass loading is used in the Lampros 100/S2

(and others in the range)?

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a


Hi-FiNews

CD players

essential hi-fi buyer's shortlist

Here's our vital buying guide section -

HFN's listing of the finest components

that we've reviewed, updated every month.

You'll find the emphasis here is on real value for money - which

doesn't always mean the lowest-cost options - but we've also

highlighted those more expensive components that genuinely justify

their sometimes frightening price tags, by offering a true advance in

sound quality for the audiophile. Listed are the issue date ( month/

year) where you can track down the original review, and the author's

initials. To track down the full-length review contact our

Back Issues service, 01733 370800, www.mags-uk.com, or check

out our review reprints service by visiting www.hi-finews.co.uk.

Make/model Price Tested How we rate it

Arcam CD33

Arcam Diva CD73

Cambridge C340C Azur

Chord DAC 64

Creek CD50

dCS Purcell/ Delius

Inca Tech Katana SE

Musical Fidelity 308CR

Musical Fidelity X - Ray V3

Naim CDS3

Nairn CD51

Perpetual P-1A/F-3A

Ratel RCD-02

Unison Research Unico

£1300

£399

£250

£1960

£700

£5000/ 6500

£995

£2000

£899

£7050

£825

$1100/ $800

£380

£1100

08/03 All

03/04 TB

09/04 AH

07/C) All

07/6 DB

12/9, Ail

12/C DA

07/03 DA

08/0.1 DA

2004 Awards

11/01 DA

2002 Awards

07/03 Kit

An improvement on the CL123, but now srig multiple Wolfson DACs. Strengths are detail, insight and a good grip on rhythm. While

nulti-format machines struggle to be a jack of all trades- this player is master of one.

The replacement of the Burr Brown DAC used in previous players with a WM8740 multi-bit sigma delta design from Microelectronics pays off

here with a comfortable, srrooth and civilised sound . Silky highs and wonderful female vocals, even if treble is slightly rounded off.

Mechanically quiet and flawless in operaticn this high-performance machine boasts a clean, detailed sound and was rarely upset by even the

roost challenging of discs. Cosmetic match for the 640A amp, with which it works well in small rooms and with modest-sized loudspeakers.

Chord's now fully sorted 96.<Hz-capable DAC features a buffer memory and reclocking system that theoretically eliminates jitter. AH

concluded, ' It's not its lushness and smooth ride that make it a winner, but the way that it treads the route of musicality and natural timing.'

We've come to expect bargains from Mike Creek. This one wipes the floor with most budget players and some with much higher price tags,

extracting incredible precis on from reccrd ngs. Compare it with some expensive players and you'll ask, why pay more?

Purcell is a D/D converter that upsamples' to 24/96 or 24/192, for analogue conversion by Delius. An impressive input array, upgradable

firmware, pro-grade electronics. Makes CDs sound wholly believable at last. Provision for DSD conversion via proprietary use of FireWire link

Stunning looks, sturdy build and balanced outputs to boot, this player deserves to make waves at its price-point thanks to thrilling vocals and a

dexterity and energy that truly brings music to life. Single-ended output version available for £600. Both players a must-listen concluded DA.

DA was mesmerised by thesound from this 24-bit upsampling player. It is all solid-state, but comes so close to matching its Nu-Vista sibling's

sound quality that you'd swear there were valves in the equation somewhere: natural' and unforced'.

A player punching well above its weight, the V3 puts the emphasis firmly on the music with a well proportioned presentation that gives a real

impression of depth and power. Vocals sound fully fleshed and separation of instruments is good. Comes into its own used as a digital transport.

Top-cf the-range two-box CD replay from Naim. Physically unassuming but sonically a rival for anyother player - high-resolution format or

otherwise - according to Martin Colloms. Sweeter treble, blacker backgrounds and greater all-round ability than its predecessor the worthy CDS2.

Nairn's most affordable player excels in the areas for which the British brand has become justifiably famous: pace, rhythm and timing. For

r 71a ny listeners this tralslates into excitement and involvement with the music, especially when it comes to modern pop and rock material.

Diminutive IDSP ( P- 1A) and DAC ( P-3A) units that do something special. The combination transforms CD, communicating the illusion of real

musicians. he P- 1A is ki ler, used as an interpolating upsampler, but with capability for room or speaker EQ correction. Mail order only in UK

hotel has long been respeced for its UK-designed, Far East- built budget players. Although the company now makes DVD players and AV

receivers, it hasn't forsaken CD/two-channel users. If you're on a tight budget this one is well worth auditioning.

Using a triode valve output stage this CD player aims to combine the best of both worlds, with a sound, as KK noted, that comes 'scarily close to

resembling a decent moving-coil, playing nint vinyl through a tube phono stage.'

DVD-Video, DVD-Audio and SACD players Make/model Price Tested How we rate it

rcam DV88 Plus

Arcam DV29

Cambridge Audio DVD57

Denon DVD-2900

Ma ra ntz SA- 11S1

Pioneer DV-868AV'

Sony XA9000ES

£1000

£1600

£200

£850

£2000

£1000

£2400

02/03 AG

10/03 PM

09/03 PM

05/05 KM

02/64 PM

05/04 PM

Ergonomically satisfying DVD-V and CD player features painstaking audio circuit design: separate clocks and power supplies for audio and

video, dual Wolfson 24-bit/192kHz WM8716 DACs.Excellent picture quality and sound on DVD-V, plus CD sound equalling Arcam's Alpha 7SE.

Dubious features are abandoned here in favour of purist engineering that benefits both video and audio quality. The ArcamDV29 is a wolf in

sheep's clothing and is a desirable alternative to its gadget-strewn competition. Buy with confidence.

Made an excellent impression against sorne heavyweight contenders in our DVD-A player Group Test. Elegant styling and an extremely competent

i)erformance for not a lot of cash. Don't expect the Earth at this price, but this player is thoroughly musical with a bit of bite too.

Smooth and natural-sound ng on both DVD-A and SACD, this universal player gives seamless multichannel sound plus excellent video

performance. Lacking the proprietary Denon digital link of the DV-Al, it remains a fine all-rounder, a worthy competitor to Pioneer's universals.

A benchmark with SACD replay thanks to exceptional transparency, speed and resolution, plus deep bass and an uncannily natural midband.

With CD-only replay this player can sound iich, lush and incredibly euphonic thanks to the proprietary user-selectable filters on board.

Despite prosaic looks, technology on board makes this player the very first of a thoroughly new generation. Stunning pictures, with DDPD

scaler providing tighter, noise-free and contrasting images. Son ically, lighter touch of more afforda ble DV-668AV proved more satisfying.

Sony's current flagship for tie SACD fornial is also a DVD video player ( not DVD-A!). It offers an extended, transparent and wholly unforced

sound with the vast majority of rival DVD and CD players sounding artifice' by comparison. If DVD leaves you cold then buy the Sony, said PM.

1 GO JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNews www.hifinews.co.uk

Turntables Make/model Price

Avid Diva

Clearaudio Champion

Linn LP12

Michell Orbe SE/ NC power supply

Pro-Ject Debut Mk11

Pro-Ject RPM 9X

Oracle Delphi Mk V

SME Model 10

£1100

frorn £1020

from £1075

£2413

£120

£1000

£3180

£3580

Roksan Radius 5

£850

Tuners Make/model Price

Arcam DT81 £650

Creek T43

Magnum Dynalab MD106

Marantz ST- 17

PURE Digital DRX-702ES

£400

£3750

£800

£330

Tested How we rate it

02/01 JH

03/01 AB

10P37 KB

01/05 AH

07/00 TB

09/04 TB

07/04 DA

12/99 NB

2004 A ard s

11/03 AH

Michell Orbe NC £2413

Michell Engineering's top deck is now sounding better than ever. The long-running and much-loved Michell Orbe turntable has received an effective revamp courtesy of a new Controller NC (' Never Connected') DC power supply. Careful comparisons showed that the new version offers the best of both worlds — it brings you the pace and toe-tapping timing of the

company's original AC-powered unit yet retains the greater realism and naturalness gained by the DC unit which preceded the Controller NC. And if you already have an Orbe with VC power supply, it can be upgraded to the new spec: the cost is £235 (for decks which already have a DC motor) or £835 (where an AC synchronous motor has to be replaced).

Versatile enough to accept arms of up to 12in effective length and even to carry two arms, this intelligently designed skeletal turntable is tree to

the engineering concepts of kid's bigger models, and the sound is not far behind them either.

A rich, colourfu. sound and excellent 3D image stability, the mid a little recessed; but a fine rhythmic 'groove' and pace. With black acrylic base

and translucent platter (no dust cover), the outboard AC motor has a stepped pulley; manual speed change to 45.

,,lassic three-point suspended chassis design, based on AR and Ariston models Dut with tighter engineering. Simple AC motor drive leaves

room for improvement with baler power supplies; now only available with Lingo power supply, and with either Akito or Ekos tonearms.

Revamp for flagship deck courtesy of a new power supply that offers the best of both worlds in that it brings the pace and toe-tapping timing of

the company's AC-powered unit yet retains the greater realism and naturalness gained by the DC unit.

Simple but effective: price includes tonearm and Ortofon m-m cartridge. ' No nasty top or flaccid bass, just clean, rather crisp and lively sound,'

commented TB. If you need a phono stage, go for Debut Phono or Debut Phono SB (with fine speed control, £ 160).

Pro-Ject favourte receives a revamp courtesy of an acrylic platter. Result is a presentation having greater flow, air and lucidity with improved

definition beween leading edges of instrument s. Less surface noise compared veth original model along with complete banishment of grain.

Basic design is 25 years old but according to DA, the Mk V can still show some very costly decks a thing or two, and suspension tuning problems

are a thing of the past. A black granite base looks great but costs extra.

Price quoted includes a simplified version of the classic Series V tonearm. 'So eer ly quiet and uncoloured' said KK, 'one of the best

ambassadors yet for the greatness of analogue replay via vinyl... The Model 10 let's you hear the music and nothing else'.

Back in the 1970s, Rega's original Planar 2 was the usual choice for those who couldn't afford a Linn. Design principles are unchanged

(there's still no subchassis) but the P2 remains a good buy if your sonic priorities are rhythm and drive rather than subtlety.

Price quoted includes the Nin-a tonearm. This Roksan deck offers a listen-all-day character that plays music guilelessly'. Expect ' real dynamic

contrast and tinebral colouring, with naturally-sounding frequency response without treble lift or heavy bass'. An absolute bargain!

Tested How we rate it

1/02 AB

9/01 IH

2004 Award

''/01 IH

7/03

With better controls than previous models, the DT81 is arguably superior to the more expensive FMJ DT26. Comprehensive user features include

engineering mode for interested enthusiasts. Its clear, distinct way of opening up a broadcast makes this a relatively impartial but accurate receiver.

A simple fuss-free tuner with excellent FM sound quality, with a total of 64 presets for FM, MW and LW. Signal strength and multi-path

distortion are displayed. I H found it had 'a full-bodied sound that's nicely articulated and stable.., excellent value.'

Old-fashioned analogue tuner rather than a digital synthesiser type, meticulously designed and built with a triode valve output stage. Expensive, for

sure, but now sets the standard of excellence. After all, as AG put it, on a Radio 3 concert, the orchestra colours practically glowed.'

Three wavebards and R DS; for I H the sound was 'detailed and solid, projecting a coherent soundstage with excellent depth of image' if a little

bright. It lacks independent remote control but 'sounds superb, makes the best of weak signals and exudes a quiet confidence'.

Winner of our ttiree-way group test, this model brings you DAB, yet has a usable FM tuner in the same package. USB connectivity for

upgrading via a PC; dark, attractive, contoured presentation and the controls aresimplicity themselves —a top-drawer product.

Nairn NAC 202/NAP 200 £1400/£1385

If you've only ever dreamed of owning a Naim pre-/power amplifier, take a look at this under-£3000 pairing. A well-executed design boasting excellent musical and rhythmic abilities, as we've come to expect from this brand. Though imaging is vague, the boogie factor more than compensates, ensuring that music is both involving and hugely enjoyable. Bomb-proof build and offers plenty of user-friendly features,

www.hifinews.co.uk

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essential hi-fi buyer's shortlist Amplifiers Make/model Price Tested How we rate it

Arcam FMJA32 £1100 03/02 AG

This top of the- range integrated offers 100W/ch, thanks to an uprated power supply. AG found it sounding confidently in charge, making the

most of speakers it was used with, reproducing the life and vitality of a performance. It also offers tone controls.

Arcam A85 £700 05/0 I

AH

Remote-control 85W/ch amplifier, using bi-polar output devices (not MOSFETs). Its clean and detailed sound nimbly communicates music.

Microprccessor-controlled source switching, tone contraband input trim facility (to equalise source levels). Finest integrated amplifier at the price.

Audio Research £4000

VS110

03/03 DB

With eight 6550 output tubes (four per channel in push-pull pairs) this higher-power version of the VS50 gives the sound of classic valves in

spades. DB reported warmth, texture, muscularity and deep bass aplenty... brawn, brain and heart in one glowing package'.

Audio Research Ref Two £10,000

Despite broadband noise from this valve-fuelled lab-handled design, sound quality was top notch as well. It comes close to being a state-of-

the-art piece of audio engineering,' said MC.

AS Passion £1300 Ultimate

Remote-control version of classic passive attenuator. Control of volume and source is via optical linkage, a single Vishay resistor leading to

light-controlled shunt resistor. The Ultimate is still top of the class, rivalling active pre-amps that cost four :imes as much.

BAT VK-50SE/ £6125 VK-60 AG

Full remote control pre-amp and 60W/ch stereo push-pull valve power amplifier, combine the dynamics and load tolerance of solid-state with

the finesse, inner complexity and poise of tubes. Sweet-sounding, without the audible severity of some solid-state counterparts.

Bryston 3B-SST £1725 10/53

DA

David Allcock was already an owner of a pair of 14B-SST power amps, this model's big brothers, when he reviewed this one so it was interesting to

see n he rated 150W/ch (8 ohms) model so highly- he did! Fantastic sonic balance and stereo imaging, along with lashings of controlled power.

Chord CPA 3200/ £44° oi,gs SPM 1200C AH

Audio meets aerospace engineering. The fully-ba anced SPM1200C uses a switched-mode power supply, yet sounds dynamic and

transparent. 'Has the disconcerting ability to create real sound pressure levels with ease,' said AH, with 'transparency to music's inner workings.'

Conrad-Johnson £5000 Premier LS2

no

MC

Purist triode pre-amplifier offers full-on audiophile sound at a competitive price. More 'different' than ' better' than the long-lived original LS2,

detail was reference class while stereo image scale, width and depth were all to a very high standard. Midrange was exceptionally pure.

Conrad-John son £8000 Premier 350

09/04

MG

First solid-state Premier series amp turns out to be a massively powerful stereo chassis at a highly competitive price. Offers the well-balanced,

fluid midrange of tube amps with the dynamic range, grip and slam of the best solid-state designs. The aiswer to an audiophile's dreams.

_ Cmft Vitale £35 u

02/00 trx

Classic hard-wired pre-am, tue to the minimalist ideal: 'vintage' in its warmth and preclusion of edginess and grain, yet big, palpable and

commanding. With some low-level noise and fuzziness, it's still quieter than even a mint Quad valve pre-amp.

EAR 864 £1500 °TAT

KK

A phono-inclusive pre-amplifier to satisfy audiophiles and studio professionals, with its XLR balanced input and output. Balanced operation

offers improved dynamic contrasts, slam, overall control and coherence, as well as virtually noise-free operation.

... GRAAF GM506 £393u

09/7 KB

This gorgeous-looking valve integrated combines real pride of ownership with a performance set to re-write the rules in the sub-£4000 market

thanks to its seamless, sweet and open sound. Despite having no phono stage it boasts a real affinity with vinyl. Remote control, too.

Icon Audio £990 Stereo 40

on TB

UK-designed, Chinese built, with two pairs of EL34 pentode valves for a claimed 40W/ch, or 19W when run in sweeter-sounding triode mode.

TB liked its impeccable finish and solid build as well as its ability to produce natiral-sounding music.

Kre I I KAV-300i L £3900 i on i A 300W/ch integrated. Hooking up 1 ohm Apogee Scintilla speakers, KK found it 'produced the very best sound I have ever heard from the

Scintillas... I would take the KAV-300iL over any solid-state amp I can name south of the Theta Dreadnaught'.

KrelIKAV400xi £2698 °6/(3This DB

'entry-level' 200W mode doesn't use Krell's Plateau Biasing but does offer balanced inputs. DB found it thoroughly listenable, with punch

drama and speed. It's not at all laid-back, so if you want a warm, distant or soft sound, then look elsewhere.

Music First £1498 Audio Passive

It/Dl AH

Utilitarian looks belie a product boasting the the finest balance of virtues of any pre-amp AH had heard to date. If you can live without added

features from a pre-amp then this passive device can stand alongside active units at over three times the price. Strongly recommended.

Musical £1000 Fidelit A3.2

05,0, DA

DA felt that the 3.2 pre-amp offered sound quality well beyond its price tag, and the 130W/ch-rated power amp is claimed to drive any

domestic speaker. Concluded DA, 'At this price point I can think of nothing I'd rather build a system around.'

Musical £4000 Fidelity kW 500

10/04

De

Musical Fidelity does it again with a neutral-sounding high-powered (500W!) integrated that manages to offer a high degree of transparency

with no loss of musicality. d's powerful, yet never forceful, and boasts a silent electronic background. Sound from LP was stunning.

Musical £800 Fidelity X-150

06 04 DA

Compact at 218 x 98 x 377mrn (whd), yet pleasingly substantial in build, the X-150 delivers 80W/ch into 8 ohms (160W into 4 ohms!) along with

transparency, refinement and excellent soundstaging. There's built-in m-m phono input of very adequate quality too.

Nagra VPA £9350 04/9

KR

Built around a pair of 845 output tubes, this pusn-pull monoblock power-amp is rated at 50W into 4, 8 or 16 ohm loads, with zero negative

feedback. KK praised its commanding and authoritative presentation and a bass control of which Ongaku owners can only dream.

Naim NAC 202/ NAP 200

£1400/ £1385

12/0.1 TB

A well-executed design ixesting excellent musical and rhythmic abilities. Though imaging is vague, the boogie factor more than compensates,

ensuring that music is both irwolving and hugely enjoyable. Bomb-proof build and offers plenty of user-friendly features.

Naim NAC 552 £11,150 'ea' JG

This is Naim's current flagship pre-amplifier and according to Jonathan Gorse, 'itgets closer, by a dramatic margin, to that " live" experience than

any other amplifier'. Don't expect it to make music sound 'comfortable', instead you get ' bombastic majesty and delicate beauty'. Awesome!

Nairn NAC 112/NAP 150

£625/ £750

03102

AH

This 150W combination delivers the 'Naim sound' with an obvious freedom from artifice, 'with little of that unnatural glare and haze that afflicts

products that try to give too much in terms of detail and clarity' (AH). Difficult to trump for unflustered sound and musical satisfaction.

Naim NAIT 5 noo ovoI AH

Rated at only 30W (we measured 36W), but a dynamic performer. With a very convincing decay to treble notes and harmonics, an easy-going

amp that didn't fatigue after continued listening. Stereo detail not as explicit as some, rhythm and timing its real strengths.

Pass Labs X350 £9950 02/00 AG

Rated at 350W/ch, the X350eschews feedback, giving it a lower than normal damping factor, and is biased strongly towards Class A so runs

very warm. The level of detail, authority and naturalness places it among the finest at any price.

Pathos TT RR £325, "

osr9,2 KK

MOSFET output stage fed by a single-ended, zero NFB tube driver stage: dowmide is relative inefficiency and high heat dissipation. Loads

below about 5 ohm 'make it cry', said KK, who still called this 'one of the finest amplifiers I've heard, regardless of price'.

Pri ma re A30 1 £1500 06/00 AG

Primare's A30.1 bi-polar amplifier, rated at 100W/channel but seems more powerful, looks like a million dollars, and is remote-controllable. The

volume control is a fine 100-step-ladder type, with extremely low distortion and accurate channel balance throughout its range.

Quad QC 24/II-forty

mon "

11/00

KA

Retro recreation of the classic Quad 22/11 valve ore-/power combination, using KT88s to give twice the power (40W/ch) of the KT-66 original.

Pre-amp lacks the 22's filers, but is also free of noise, and has a new smoothness and precision.

Rotel RA-01/RA-02

£250/ £350

04/03 TO

Quality needn't break the bank. Rotel's remote-control RA-02 and otherwise-identical RA-01 share the same 40W/ch (8 ohm) output, six line

inputs, and a sound that TB called 'smooth and fatigue free'. Don't expect the earth at this price but you will be pleasantly surprised.

TacT Audio £31 ,, 00/04 A digital pre-amplif er wit's very powerful room-correction built in, used in conjuiction with a PC to idealise the system's response at the

RCS 2.2X " Dell listening position. If you're thnking of upgrading, but the real limitation is the room, try this before spending on other components.

I .

o o

lspoqs s

,JoAncl !I

lLI lequassa

vwvw.hifinews.co. uk Hi-FiNews JUNE 2005 103

buyer's

shortlist

Loudspeakers Make/model Price Tested How we rate it

van gar e Uno

Avalon Eidolon

B&W DM603 S3

B&W DM303

B&W Nautilus 802

Castle Acoustic Stirling 3

Dynaudio Contour T2 5

Energy Encore 2

Epos k/112

Harbeth Compact/ES

Jamo D830

Hvilab Utopia Alto Be

Leema Acoustics Xavier

Linn Katan

MartinLogan Prodigy

MartinLogan Clarity

PMC DB1+

PWIC GB)

Quad ESL-989

Ruark Etude

Ruark Prologue Sonus Faber Cremona

Sonus Faber Stradivari

Spend or S6e

Tannoy Dimension TD12

Totem Arro

Wharfedale Diamond 8.1

Wharfedale EVO-10

Wilson Benesch ACT 2

Wilson WATT/ Puppy System 7

£7350

£21

£1730-1

£/i111

£500

£1300

£1500

£11,000

£635

£8970

£2500

£625

£995

£4000

£500

£950

£5000

£22,000

£1495

£6500

£840

£120

£320

£9000

£22,500

/00

sil

/03

MC

17/04

AG

12/01

AG

9'01

Ail

' 02

TB

0//00

KA

8 01

AG

OJ1

• ards

'99

MC

5/02

AG

104

1/05

DA

I/O!

H

8/00

MC

SO3

DA

11/04

0/04

DA

/00

kk

/02

AG

1,100

AG

1/02

KK

11/04

Idiot

1/04

MC

1/01

MC

7/99

AH

01 &

,/01

b/0.)

All

10/9g

AG

1'102

Avantgarde's smallest loudspeaker at 44cm high, has horn-loaded midrange and tweeter, and a self-powered subwoofer, with a claimed system

sensitivity of 100dBAN. SH said it gave immediacy, impact, emotional communication, without the coloration that spoils other horn loudspeakers.

A landmark achievment in the evolution of speaker design, the Eidolon marries the speed and transient definition of top class electrostatics

with the tailored directivity and fine dynamics of a moving-coil design. Build and technology are of the highest quality.

An excellent general purpose speaker that is sensitive enough to work with any half-decent amplifier and sounds pleasing with most types of

music in most situations. Not the most excitirg ride, but balanced and sure not to disappoint. Rear ports come with foam tuning bungs.

In AG's group test of £200 models, the 303 sounded powerful, authoritative and had a more grown-up' quality than the rest. Treble can get

harder when pushed. Overall, it has a tight, fast and slightly overdamped sound that makes it keep control at higher volumes.

One of B&W's finest ever loudspeakers, it carries the authority and finesse of the big Nautilus 801, but will work in room spaces where the 801

simply won't First class stereo imaging, bass, midrange clarity and smooth, transparent extended treble, not to mention killer looks.

TB described the Stirling 3's predecessor, Severn 2, as 'detailed but gentlemanly': the Stirling 3 builds on these strengths and gives greater

vividness and more precise imaging. A fine speaker and worthy winner of a 2002 Editors' Choice Award. (Special finishes available at extra cost.)

The Contour T2.5 put KK in mind of the larger classic Britsh speakers of the 1970s, but with far greater power handling and speed. Has the

capacity to sound huge, but with holographic imaging, deliriously wide' soundstaging, and above average depth.

Satellites use aluminium dome tweeters and 5ynthetic cone bass/m ids, the sub a 150W amp and 200mm reflex-loaded driver. Well able to

reproduce subtle solo instrumental playing or full-scale orchestra at realistic volumes. All in all, simply a great find.

An enthusiast's hi-fi music speaker, but also adaptable for home theatre use, the M12 uses the well-tried Epos bass/mid driver and a simple

crossover. With an open, lively and exciting sound, this is a very fine speaker for the money.

'Compact' only by barn-door standards, the thii-wall enclosure is visco-elastically damped to BBC standards using composite counterlayers, with

the boundaries between main shell and screwed-on panels damped. Balanced, articulate, transparent sounds; easy to recommend.

Something of a benchmark. SEAS Excel drivers in a well-braced cabinet provide crisp, detailed and thoroughly musical sounds, with little

strain even when pushed. Bass is competent and extended, although higher up the sound can be a touch forward.

With a high sensitivity (90dB/1W) this big 12COmm-tall floorstander needs careful positioning but can deliver an extraordinary sense of depth

and scale, yet its unusually smooth treble makes it difficult to coax the Alto Be into sounding oppressive even when loud.

One to dominate a room physically though the Xavier thankfully proved unfussy when it came to positioning and rewarding with a highly

natural and transparent sound. Needs careful matching with sources otherwise excellent resolving abilities of treble can prove fatiguing.

Versatile descendant of Kan and Tukan features non-paradel sides to reduce standing waves and clever lock-down crossover board which,

when reversed, switches to bi-wire-/bi-amp-ready mode. Sound proved very stable, with unusual (for Linn) 'airy' audiophile quality to boot.

A big hybrid electrostatic, and arguably ML's most successful, musically. MC found it had 'stature, presence and tonal accuracy.., exceptional

spatial qualities and fine sense of air'. If subtlety/refinement matter more than impact, this MartinLogan may be the one for you.

This is another ML hydrid, capable of running h pure electiostatic mode, but also featuring a rear-mounted 25mm tweeter - for better off-axis

sound dispersion - and a 2COmm aluminium bass driver. Needs careful amp matching but a fantastic loudspeaker!

Unburstable 'transmission-line' standmountet with a room-filling sound that belies its compact size. Superb midband with warm rich vocals

reveals BBC pedigree, but no shortage of snapeither. Upgrade kit available for owners of DB1. A class winner at the price.

P MC builds on the success of the OBI with a floorstander ccimpact enough to suit the average UK living room yet which offers few

,mpromises when it comes to bass extension, image height and size of soundstage. Definitely one to audition.

Larger, wider-bandwidth take on the ESL-63 electrostatic (which itself replaced the classic 57') with an additional bass panel. Audiophile

components and more rigid construction. Speaker needs room to breathe, but still does the 'disappearing act' so beloved of the originals.

Compact bookshelf speaker, an easy 8 ohm load and reasonably sensitive (86dB), and a clean and neutral sound: a mildly laid-back

presentation, but one that many prefer for long-term comfort, not entirely un-LS3/5A-like, with similar lean bass and open m id ba nd.

Asymmetric 905mm-high enclosure (supplied in mirror-image pairs) using two 140mm paper pulp bass/mids and a 28mm silk dome that

takes over at 1.8kHz. Slightly drooping frequency response but its consistency of voicing and musical expressiveness are out of the ordinary.

Another beautiful 'boat-tailed' floorstander from the Italian masters. The sound has soul: it's vibrant and bold,' as we said in our 2002

Awards issue. You shouldn't expect the ultimate refinemen: of the even more expensive Amati, but this speaker is extraordinarily good.

Our Hot 100 doesn't encompass hi-fi for millionaires, but this £20k design has to be included. A culmination of the dedication, skill and artistry

of Sonus Faber's founder, Franco Serblin, it will reward its lucky purchaser with years of listening bliss.

Admirably well voiced floorstanding speaker with low coloration and good transparency to allow the boxes to disappear. Midrange

performance was especially impressive and the speaker could play easily at higher levels. Another winner from Spendor.

With a 12in (305mm) Dual Concentric (horn-lcaded dome tweeter built into the centre of the main bass/mid unit), the TD12 also has Tannoy's

Supertweeter mounted on top. MC was won over by the speaker's dynamics and expression, and high sound levels.

Thin enough to slip into the smallest listening room, the Arm has an outstanding ability to cast a stereo image across, behind and around

the speakers. Integration between the two sma'l drivers is excellent, the seamlessness helping draw the listener into the fluid m id ba nd.

An opinion divider. KK found 'a soundstage so wide and so deep that one listener thought he was hearing the massive Apogee Scintillas'. AG

and his panel thought its strengths subsumed by an uneven balance'. Probably best suited to lowish volumes in smaller rooms.

Exceptional finish, real wood veneer over a non-square box and the icing on the cake is the excellent sound — weighty bass, open

id ba nd and smooth treble from a Kevlar cone bass/mid and soft-dome tweeter. One of the best at the price.

High-tech carbon-loaded WB Tactic drivers replace the Scan drivers used by the otherwise similar ACT One. Listening results suggested a

rather bright balance with superb articulation and class-leading resolution. Magic in the right system, analytical and controlled to a fault.

Even compared with the excellent System 6, the re-engineered System 7 was thought substantially more transparent, with faster and more

dynamic bass. The '6 was a fairly tough load, and the '7 is a little more demanding still, so a very good amplifier is a necessity.


SEVEN0a<S SOUND

With our custom designed installations, your home entertainment choices become as convenient as they are clever. We can help transform every room and every ho whatever your requirements and budget.

Our installation experts are trained to the highest standards in all areas and provide a prompt, reliable and totally professional service. Rest assured also that our commitment to service doesn't end once your equipment is in place. Sevenoaks staff will continue to support you and your kit long after your initial visit to one of our stores.

8£ VISION

With over 30 years experience, SEVENOAKS Sound & Vision is one of the largest and most respected AudioNisual retailers in the country.

Each Sevenoaks Sound & Vision store stocks a wide range of quality products, covering all categories of specialist home entertainment, from Hi-Fi separates and systems to DVD recorders, widescreen plasma televisions and projection systems.

Our fully trained installation experts can neatly and seamlessly integrate a home cinema or hi-fi system into your home. All electronics can be hidden away, speakers discreetly mounted either in the wall or ceiling and the complete system operated via remote control.

Whatever your requirements, Sevenoaks Sound & Vision has a diverse range of products and the expertise to advise, demonstrate and guide you through the home entertainment jungle.

• THE BEST PERFORMANCE

• THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY

• THE WIDEST RANGE

...AND TOTAL PEACE OF MIND

ABERDEEN (NEW)

BEDFORD

BIRMINGHAM

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BROMLEY

CAMBRIDGE

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CHELSEA

CHELTENHAM

CRAWLEY

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EALENG

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EPSOM

EXETER

GLASGOW

GUILDFORD

HOLBORN

HULL

IPSWICH

KINGSTON

LEICESTER

LEEDS

LINCOLN

MAIDSTONE

MANCHESTER

NEWCASTLE

NORWICH

NOTTINGHAM

OXFORD

PETERBOROUGH

PLYMOUTH

POOLE

PRESTON

READING

SEVENOAKS

SHEFFIELD

SOLIHULL

SOUTHAMPTON

SOUTHGATE

STAINES

SWINDON (NEW)

SWISS COTTAGE

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

WATFORD

WEYBRIDGE

WITHAM (ESSEX)

WOLVERHAMPTON

49 STORES NATIONWIDE vvvvvv.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk

.tIP

SEVEN0a<S SOUND& VISION

Arcam Arcam has spent more

than a generation

building some of the

finest high-fidelity

products the world has

ever seen. Whether

you're interested in

two-channel or a

con-plete multi-

channel AV systen, the

Arcam DiVA series

offers the music and

movie lover the most

corrplete range of

high-performance

home entertainment

solutions from any

specialist manufacturer.

"Riffle

d

'JEW ARCAM SOLO ALL- NI-ONE MUSIC SYSTEM

dibutiodee`--SOLO:A sleek, easy-to-

operate systerr Featuring an audiophile CD player,

a 50 WPC amplifier combined with a DAR digital radio

anil .1 nigh quality FM tuner, the SOLO music system will captivate all who listen

DIVA SERIES INCLUDES

A65 PLUS AMPLIFIER

A80 AMPLIFIER

A90 AMPLIFIER

CD737 CD PLAYER CD192 CD PLAYER

T61 TUNER

DT91 DAB TUNER

DV78 DVD PLAYER

DV79 DVD PLAYER

AVR2S0 AA/ RECEIVER AVR300 AA/ RECEIVER

TP10.,Plf" 111:ffetr.^.' IfflUI,4 2004 Meelébe 0004

Cyrus If you've enjoyed listening to music before,

try I,stening to it through a Cyrus system.

With every product tuned by ear, Cyrus

represents a quality of sound, which is rare

at any price. Invest in a Cyrus system and

you'll be rewarded with a wealth of sound

you wouldn't have thought possible.

RANGE INCLUDES

CD6 & CD8X CD PLAYERS

6VS & 8VS AMPLIFIERS

PRE X VS PREAMPLIFIER

DAC-X DAC & FM X TUNER

LINKSERVER SOLO A Cyrus CD Player with

built in 80Gb hard disk

drive. Keep all your

favourite music insfantly

accessible in a single, easy

to operate component.

Ei PRICING POLICY

We always try to ensure our prices are highly competitive.

In the event you can find the same products and excellent service at a lower price, please bring it to our store managers' alention.

ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES The right accessories can make or break your system.

Our carefully selectec range, inducing QED, Soundstyle and Grado, wE ensure yo..zi get the very best Ferformance from your system.

Specialist hi-fi Contemporary hi-fi is constantly setting new standards in sound reproduction and design. Whatever you listen to, be it Robbie Williams or Rachmaninov, Sevenoaks can recommend separate components that will bring your music collection to life and complement your home. We're enthusiasts and experts, passionate about helping you build (or upgrade) a system that will delight for years to come.

Rotel is truly unique' a family-owned, specialist Japanese company whose passionate

interest in music led them to manufacture audio components of uncompromised quality.

The 02 Series is Roters entry-level range. The RCD-02 CD player combined with either

an RA-01, RA-02 or RA-03 integrated amplifier represents tue audiophile performance

at an affordable price. For increased high-end performance, the RC-03/RB-3 pre/power

amplifiers are available The RT-02 tuner completes the range.

02 SERIES

RA-01 AMPLIFIER

RA-02 AMPLIFIER

RA-03 AMPLIFIER

RCD-02 CD PLAYER

RT-02 TUNER

10 SERIES

RA-1062 AMPLIFIER

RCD-1072 CD PLAYER

ROTEL RA-03 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER "Rotel has come through with a real winner: the RA-03 is

good enough to worry the best in its class"

Project Project is currently one of the world's leading suppliers of turntables, with a range of models

designed to satisfy all levels of expectation and budget. The range is simple to

use, maintenance free and will

function for a lifetime.

B&VV Since the outset, the focus of Bowers and Wilkins Loudspeakers

has always been to offer the best possble musical experience.

With a combination of the latest R&D techniques and a passion

for music, B&W produces a diverse range of products befitting

the largest audio manufacturer in the UK.

600 SERIES INCLUDES DM601 53 SPEAKERS DM602 53 SPEAKERS

700 SERIES INCLUDES 705 SPEAKERS 703 SPEAKERS

rpm SERIES INCLUDES PV1 SUBWOOFER

DEBUT Ill TURNTABLE WITH OMSE CARTRIDGE

1 XPRESSION TURNTABLE WITH 0M10E CARTRIDGE

2 XPERIENCE TURNTABLE (PICTURED RIGHT)

% FINANCE OPTION*

Spread the cost of buying.

0% finance option' is available on

the majority of products we stock.

Written details on request. Licensed credit

broker, Mininuen balance £400. Subject to status.

PLEASE NOTE Some productsibrands are not available at all stores. Please call to confirm or visit our website before travelling.

*Added Value Offers - From range available

in-store. Not in conjunction with any other offer

ADVERT VALID UNTIL AT LEAST 02/06/2005, E&OE.

2

mail& ma . 1111

Kandy KA1 MKIII AMPLIFIER

KD1 MK.III CD PAYER

Caspian CD PLAi ER

AMPLIFIER

PREAMPLIFIER

STEREO POWER

MONOBLOC POWER

M SERIES

Roksan Roksan designs and

manufactures some of

the most acclaimed ht-fi

• equipment currently

evallab.e. All Roksan

products are carefully

evaluated by experienced engineers at every

stage of the design process with the emphasis on

performarK-e and build quality.

KEF Q Series The Latest evolution of the acclaimed

Q Series demonstrates how the

benefits of KEF technology cascade down from tne Reference Series to

I flore affordable ranges. New Q

features all the inherent advantages

of KEF UNI-Cr technology and are

available in a variety of Finishes.

Q SERIES INCLUDES

Q COMPACT BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS Q4 cLOORSTANDING SPEAKERS

07 AV SPEAKER PACKAGE

0

Essential Accessories The right accessories can make or break your system.

Our carefully selected range, including QED, SCUNDSTYLE and GRADO, will ensure you get the very best performance from your system.

Interconnect & Speaker Cables

Speaker Stands

Headphones

Equipment Supports

Since 1972 Monitor Audio has been developing and

perfecting the implementation of metal drivers,

innovative crossovers, and exemplary speaker cabinet

construction and finish to further the ideal of achieving

sound which is to the original "as close as it gets".

The range includes - Gold, New Silver RS, Bronze and Radius, a seriously compact system bringing true hi-fi performance to both music and movies at home.

INCLUDE BRONZE B2, B2 AV, B4 AV SILVER RSI, RS6, RS8 GOLD REFERENCE 10 & 60

Digital Radio Harman Kardon

TU970 DAB/ANALOGUE TUNER

With Digita' Audio Broadcasting (DAB) capability, this high-quality tuner oelivers more stations and offers pure, distortion-free, CD-

like sound, while providing useful radio and data services.

Pure ;,, wa•••

•

DRX702ES DAB/ANALOGUE TUNER

Marantz

CD5400 "This is a remarkable CD player for the

money with superb sound, looks and feel - A very

solid buy and a lot of tun"

The Maranta 'Range Series' offers flexible

system building options for every lifestyle.

RANGE SERIES INCLUDES

CD5400 CD PLAYER

PM4400 AMPLIFIER

PM7200 AMPLIFIER

ST4000 TUNER

SR4500 NV RECEIVER

SR5500 AN RECEIVER

DV4500 DVD PLAYER

Acoustic Energy Established in 1987, Acoustic Energy is one of

Betain's premie loudspeaker manufacturers

llering one of the most targeted range of hi-fi

arid home cinema loudspeaker systems on the market today.

AE1 MKIII AEUTE THREE

Denon ...•• WOO .•1101 .41e ID»

D-M31 D RECEIVER

"Even better than the Award-Wining

DM30, making it pnenomenal value

for money."

"BRONZE B2

'Monitor Audio's Bronze 82s sound

much more expensive than their

f200 price tag would ;uggest. In fact, they

sound superb... In the competitive world of budget hi-fi,

speakers don't get much better than the 32s."

Wharfedale DIAMOND 9.1 SPEAKERS

"The overall balance of

the speakers is their

finest characteristic.

Thanks to near-perfect

driver integration, music

sounds wonderfully

natural and transparent. This is a bar-raising effort

from Wharfedale: these

are ridiculously good

speakers at the budget

price level." digital

technologies from one

of the oldest hi-fi name..

Quad Founded in 1938, Quad's history is one of audio

scellence. Today's range includes both electronics and speaker systems.

PRODUCTS INCLUDE 99 CD-PREAMPLIFIER

111. SPEAKERS

—IidNnaZ a;ra"f "nee"?

11111.11 AW.DS du .a• e _

Musical Fidelit Musical Fidelity's X-Series combines exemptional bui a quality with value for money.

X SERIES X-80 & X150 AMPLIFIER

X-RAY" CD PLAYER

A5 SERIES A5 AMPLIFIER & CD PLAYER

3 SEVEN0a<S

SEVEN0a<S SOUND & VISION

r Pioneer MODELS INCLUDE

A/V AMPLIFIER VSA-AX10A1

A/V RECEIVERS VSX-D814 • VSX-2014, • VSX-AX5A1 UNIVERSAL DVD PLAYERS DV668Av • DV868Avi

littre','H¡. '

DV-575A "For outstanding all-round ability there are

few players that can match Pioneer's DV-575A."

VSX-AX5Ai Tweaked version of the Award-winning

VSX-AX5i with additional sound-processing modes.

Specialist home cinema The recent growth of DVD has led to a huge rise in demand for home cinema equipment. The prices of DVD players, AV receivers, projectors and plasma screens continue to fall but, with so many options, it's not easy to know which ones will suit your needs. Indeed, in the face of this quickly evolving and often bemusing array of products, we aim to assist you in assembling a home cinema system to be proud of — one that achieves outstanding picture and sound quality.

DENON DVD-AlXV " "An exceptional player with excellent sound quality plus

essentially state of the art picture performance."

HPFICHOICE • MAY 2005

Yamaha Recognised as a world leader in the fields of

musical instruments and

audio equipment, and in

more recent years, home

cinema. Yamaha brings you,

through CINEMA DSP for audio, Natural Black for

video and other innovative

technologies, a truly

extraordinary home entertainment experience.

MODELS INCLUDE

AN AMPLIFIERS

DSP AX750SE & DSP-Z9

AN RECEIVERS

RX-V1500 & RX-V2500

DVD PLAYERS

DVD-5550 & DVD-51500

NEW YSP-1

Digital Sound Projector

Whether you're irterested in two-channel or a complete multi-channel AV system,

Arcam offers the music and movie lover the most complete range of high-performance home entertainment solutions from any specialist manufacturer.

ge PRICING POLICY


,n the event you can find the same Droducts and excellent service at E ower price, please brinç it to our

store managers' attenticn.

ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES The right accessories car. make or break your system.

Our carefully selected range, including QED, Soundstyle and

Grado, will emsure you get the very best performance from your system.

DVD PLAYERS

DV78, DV79

FNLIDV29

AN RECEIVERS

AVR250, AVR300 AN PRE/PROCESSOR

AV8, AVP700

MULTICHANNEL POWER

P7, P1000

mane Denon

Denon, Japer's oldest audio company, has established

an enviable reputation for the performance of both its

hi-fi and home cinema products, winning numerous

awards and accolades over the years. Its stylish systems

have succeeded in becoming the benchmark by which all other are judged.

MODELS INCLUDE

AN RECEIVERS AVR-1905 • AVR-2105 • AVR-2805 • AVR-3805

AN AMPLIFIER AVC-A1XV

DVD PLAYERS DVD-1710 • DVD-1910

UNIVERSAL DVD PLAYERS DVD-2910 • DVD-3910 • DVD-A11 • DVD-A1XV

DVD SYSTEMS DLIT-500SD • DHT-550SD

AVR-2805 " Last year's Award-winning AVR-

2803 finally meets its match in the shape of

this storming successor from Denon."

DFIT-500SD

"The Denon DHT-500SD is the best home cinema system you can find in one box. If you're not

confident that separates are the answer for you -

too complex or too expensive - then the Denon

provides the ideal solution."

PLEASE NOTE

% FINANCE OPTION*


0% finance option is available on

the majority of products we stock.

'Written details on request. Licensed credit

brokers. Minimum balance £400. Subject to stAtut.

Some products/brands are not available at all sto,es. Please call to confirm or visit our website before travelling.

'Added Value Offers - From range available in-store Not in conjunction with any other offer

ADVERT VALID UNTIL AT LEAST 02/0612005, E&OE.

4

KHT2005.2 '' KEF has done it. This is the new best system in its dass...

The KHT2005.2 is the new tcp surround dog. KEF should be very proud."

Although making digital recordings of TV broadcasts isn't

new, the choice, versatility and quality of recorders keep

getting better. Our product selection includes both DVD only recorders and hybrid DVD/hard-disk models.

Pioneer DVD RECORDERS (DVD-RVV)

DVR-220 • DVD-320

HARD-DISK MODELS (HDD/DVD-RW) DVR-420H 80GB • DVR-520H 80GB

DVR-720H 160GB • DVR-920H 250GB

KEF KIT100 Home Cinema System "Why take five speakers into the living room when

you can use just two? Creating a virtual surround

sound experience has never been simper or more

effective, thanks to this two speakers plus

subwoofer concoction from KEF."

Panasonic DVD RECORDERS (DVD-FtAM/DVD-R)

DMR-E55 DMR-E65 DMR-ES10

HARD-DISK MODELS (HDD/DVD-RAM/-R) DMR-E85 80GB • DMR-E95 160GB • DMR-E500 400GB

"In all, the Pioneer DVR-720H is a fine machine with some nifty features and superb performance... Superb." WHAT VIDEO AND WIDESONEN TV • AUGUST 2004

KEF KHT The Kef Home Theatre (KHI) series brings

audiophile sound quality to affordable

home enterainment — it's been breaking

new ground ever since it was first introduced. As its many awards and 5-star

ratings prove, the original outperformed

every conventional system in its class.

MODELS INCLUDE

KHT1005 • KHT2005 2

KHT5005 • KHT9000ACE

Mordaunt Short gm, Genie "Distinctive looks, practical to use, first-class sonics from the sats and

the sub - it adds up to a winning

cinema set-up... For seamless integration of sound, impressive

.ntegrity of build and all-round covetability, the Mordaunt-Short

Genie package is hard to beat - and

it looks rather splendid, too."

Elegante e82 "Performance with style -

If you're looking for a

speaker package without

sonic sacrifices, then

look no further than

the Elegantes."

Elegante Colour Options Ave'able

M-Cube "A sub/sat system

that dsplays cute

looks and killer

ability - in our

eyes it's going to

be a sure-fire hit "

REL Subwoofers

In a market pacKed with subwoofers claiming to

deliver the ultimate bass experience, only one brand

of sub-bass system can prove its supremacy. With a

record of review success stretching back over a decade and featuring no fewer than nine of the

coveted What Hi-Fi? Awards, REL is acknowledged as

the leading provider of deep, clean bass frequencies.

1.14400M

"A flawless

performance from the REL

Stampede

leaves little

room for

criticism."

Q SERIES Qaake • Q150E • Q201E • Q400E

ST SERIES Stampede • Strata 5 • Storm 5

weenmnr 120/4•102 2004

0 0

Acoustic Energy Established in 1987, Acoustic Energy is one of

Britain's premier loudspeaker manufacturers offering arguably the most targeted range of hi-fi

and home cinema •oudspeaker systems on the

market today.

The multi-award winning AEGIS EVO Series is a budget separates range for hi-fi and home cimema

enthusiasts alike, offering exquisite transparency,

deter. and clarity, coupled with awesome

bass and dynamics.

AEGIS EVO SERIES INCLUDES

EVO One • EVO Three • EVO Centre & Sub

AELITE SERIES INCLUDES

Aelite Two • Aelite Three • Aelite Centre & Sub

SEVEN

SEVEN0a<S SOUND & VISION

Some products/brands are not available at all stores. Please call to

confirm or visit vvww.sevenoakssoundandvision before travelling.

TURNTABLES Goldring £139.95 Linn RANGE f CA A

Michell Gyro SE/RE300 £1049.95 Project Debut Phono SB £169.95 Project Debut III (Black) £129.95

Project 1 Xpression £209.95 Project 2 Xpenence £549.95

Roksan Radius 5 (Wood) . ..... f749.95

TUNERS Arcam DNA T61 £229.95

Arcam DIVA DT91 DAB/FM £449.95 Cyrus FM X £499.95 Denon 10260L MKII £99.95

Harman Kardon 111970 DAB/AM/FM £249 95

Marantz ST4000 £99.95 Pure DRX-701ES DAB £189 95

Pure DRX-702ES DAB/FM £269.95

CD PLAYERS Arcam DIVA CD737 £399.95 Arcam DNA CD192 £849.95

Arcam FM) CD33T £1349.95 Cyrus CD6 £599.95

Cyrus CD8 X £999.95 Cyrus DAC X £1099.95 Denon DCD485 £119.95 Linn ANGE f CALL

Marantz CD5400 £119.95 Meridian RANGE CALL Musical Fidelity X-Ray £899.95

Musical Fidelity AS £1499.95 Quad 99 CD-P £999.95

Roksan Kandy (DI MKIII £649.95 Roksan Caspian M £1099.95 Rotel RC002 £379.95 Rotel RCD1072 £594.95

CD RECORDERS Pioneer PDR609 CD-RW £199.95

Yamaha CDR-HD1300/11 f479.95

AMPLIFIERS Arcam DIVA A65 Plus £389.95 Arcam DIVA A80 £599.95

Arcam DIVA A90 £849.95 Arcam FMI A32 £1199.95 Cyrus 'vs £599.95 Cyrus 8es £799.95

Cyrus Pre X vs Pre £1099.95

Cyrus Mono X Power (Each) £1199.95 Demo PMA355 £169.95 Linn RANGE E CALL Marantz PM4400 £139.95

Marantz RM7200 . 1239.95

Meridian .'.10E E CALL Music al Fidelity X-80 £399.95 Musical Fidelity X-150 £799.95

Musical Fidelity AS . . £1499.95 Quad • darwer £549.95

Quad . Power £899.95

Roksan Tardy KA1 MKIII £649.95

Roksan aspian M £999.95 Roksan aspian M PreSterea Power.. £1999.95

Rote' -A01 . £249.95 Rotel RA-02 f349.95

Rotel RA-03 £499.95 Rotel FA- 1062 £594.95

SPEAKERS Acoustic Energy Aegit. Evo One £129.95

Acous6c Energy Aegis Evo Three £249.95 Acoustic Energy Aelite Two £449.95

Acoustic Energy Aelite Three £749.95 Acoustic Energy AEI MKIII . . FROM £1699.95

AVI . £419 95

88,1111 GU,/ I 'i3 . f249.95

B&W DM602 S3 £299 95

B&W 705 E899.95 B&W 703 ..... £1999.95

KEF Q RANGE . E CALL KEF XQ RANGE E CALL

Linn RANGE f CALL Meridian RANG! f CALL Mission 11131i . £129.95

Mission - £299.95

Monitor Audio Pronze B2 £199.95 Monitor Audio • RS1 £349.95 Monitor Audio RS6 £599.95

Monitor Audio • RS8 £799.95

Monitor Audio Reference 10 £799.95 Monitor Paulo 'old Reference 60 £1999.95 Quad E379.95

Quad £499.95 Quad ‘i £194.95

Ruark • F.HGE E CALL

Wharfedale F/Ftmond 9.1 £179.95

SYSTEMS Arcam Solo ix Speakers . Denon 2(0 Ex Speakers

Denon D1.101 Ex Speakers

Denon Di,A31 Ex Speakers .. Lim 1,1s.ik lMcs,c E> Speakers .

DVD SYSTEMS Dencn1k1T-500SD Inc 51 Speaker Package CALL Denon DHT-55NSD lec 5.1 Speaker Package £ CALL

KEF KIT100 Inc Speakers . E CALL

f479.95 £299.95

£189.95

É CALL

MULTI-ROOM AUDIO Cyrus Link R,FD. •

Living Control 1

Yamaha MusicCast

DVD PLAYERS MAKE R MODEL

Arcam ! AA DV78 Arcam DV79.

Arcam • M1 DV29 Cyrus . D8 Denon DVD-1710

Denon DVD-1910 Denon DVD-2910 Universal Denon DVD-3910 Universal Denon DVD-A11 Denon DVD-Alxv

Harman Kardon DVD22 Harman Kardon DVD31 Marantz t10

Meridian « ANGE Pioneer 0V370 Pioneer DV575A Universal Pioneer DV668Av Universal

Pioneer DV868Avi Universal Yamaha DVD-5550 Yamaha DVD-S1500

DVD RECORDERS MAKE R. MODEL

Panasonic DMR-E55 Panasonic DMR-ES10 Panasonic DMR-E65 Panasonic DMR-E85 Panasonic DMR-E95 Panasonic DMR-E500 Pioneer DVR-220

Pioneer DVR-320 Pioneer DVR-420H Pioneer DVR-520H Pioneer DVR-720H

Pioneer DVR-920H

CALL

CALL

f CALL

REGION 2 MIMI REGION

E699.95 £699.95

£999.95 £999.95 f1599.95 (1599.95 £1199.95 £1199.95 E CALL f CALL

f CALL f CALL f CALL £ CALL £ CALL E CALL E CALI. f CALL E CALL E CALL E CALL f CALL

f CALL £ CALL CALL £ CALL £ CALL E CALL

E CALL E CALL E CALL E CALL

E CALL f CALL f CALL £ CALL

£ CALL E CALL E CALL E CALL

RI ulON 2

£199.95 E CALL E CALL E CALL f CALL E CALL [199.95 f CALL E CALL

f CALL E CALL E CALL

REGION

£219.95 E CALL

f CALL f CALL E CALL CALL

f219.95 f CALL

f CALL CALL CALL

CALL

AN AMPLIFIERS RECEIVERS & PROCESS"nr Arum AVEt250 AA/ Receiver E999.95 Arcam AVR300 AN Receiver (1299.95

Arcam AVP700/11000 AN Processor/Foss,' ( IBA Arcam .\V 8/P7 AA/ Processor/Power £5749.95

Cyrus •,.13 AN Processor

Denon AVC-A1 XV AN Amplifier

Denon - VR1705 AN Receiver

Denon .\VR1905 M/ Receiver Denon .WR2105 AN Receiver

Denon R7805 AN Receiver

Denon '05 AN Receiver Harman Kardon AVR330 AN Receiver

Harman Kardon AVR630 M/ Receiver

Harman Kardon DPR2005 AN Receiver

Lexicon RANGE

Marantz SR4500 AN Receiver Marantz SR5500 AN Receiver

Pioneer VSX-D814 AN Receiver Pioneer VSX-2014i AN Receiver

Pioneer VSX-AXSAi AN Receiver

Pioneer VSA-AX10Ai AN Amplifier .

Rotel .. SX1056 AN Receiver Rotel ...',X1067 AN Receiver

Rotel 1,.SP1098 AN Processor

Yamaha DSP-AX7SOSE AN Amplifier . Yamaha DSP-29 AN Amplifier

Yamaha RX-V550 AN Receiver

Yamaha RX-V650 AN Receiver Yamaha RX-V150ORDS AN Receiver

Yamaha RX-V2SOORDS AN Receiver

£1099.95

£ CALL f CALL

f CALL

f CALL

f CALL CALL

CALL

E CALL

E CALL

f CALL E CALL

f CALL f CALL

E CALL E CALL

f CALL

(1199.95

£1799.95

£2294.95

E CALL E CALL

CALL

E CALL

E CALL

f CALL

AN SPEAKERS & PACKAGES Acoustic Energy Evo 38 £679.95

Acoustic Energy Aego PSAI [44e95 Acoustic Energy Mite 5 1 (1894.95

Artcoustic NGE £ CALL

13&W VM 1/AS1 £849.95

KEE KUM 005 £299.9S

KEF KHT2005.2 £599.95

KEF KHT5005 E CALI. KEF Q7 AV CALL M&K RANGE E CALL

Mission M30 AV Package f CALL

Mission M3i AV Package f CALL

Mission t A Cute AV Package (ex staixESE E CALL Mission Elegante e82 7.1 Package E CALL

Monitor Audio Bronze 82 AV £799.95 Monitor Audio Bronze 54 AV £949.95

Monitor Audio Radius E CALL

Mordaunt Short Genie f CALL Quad £1899.95

Wharfedale Diamond 9 HCP f499.95

Yamaha YSP-1 Sound Projector CALL

SUB WOOFERS 88,W . 1 £919.95 M&K F.HCF,F CALL

Mi Acoustics RANGE E CALL

Monitor Audio RANGE f CALL Quad L Series f CALL REL 0150E MIKE (Brittex Black) £499.95

REL 0201E (Bettex Black) £724.95

REL 0400E (Bretex Black) £999.95

REL Quake (Bitten Black) £349.95

REL Stampede (Black) £549.95 REL Strata 5 (Bettex Black) £699.95 REL Storm 5 (Wood Finishes) £999.95 Wharfedale Diamond SW150 . (249.95

PLASMA Fujitsu RANGE f CALL Hitachi 32PD5200 32" f CALL

Hitachi 42PDS200 42" CALL Hitachi 55PMA550TE 55" CALL

Panasonic TI-37PVV7B 37" . . f CALL Panasonic TH42PVV7B 42" .. f CALL

Panasonic Th37PE3OB 37" . f CALL

Panasonic TH42PE3OB 42" f CALL Panasonic TH5OPV30B 50" E CALL

Pioneer PDP435FDE 43" f CALL

Pioneer PDP435XDE 43" f CALL Pioneer PDP505XDE 50" f CALL Toshiba 421A4M6 42" .. E CALL

LCD TV Hitachi 281_05200 28" f CALL Panasonic RANGE CALL

Sharp Aquos L C-260A5 26" CALL

Sharp Aquos LC-320A5 32" E CALL

Sharp Aquos LC-32GD1 32" CALL Sharp Amos LC-370D1 37" CALL

Sharp Aquos LC-37GA5 37" f CALL Sharp Agues LC-450D1 45" f CALL Toshiba RANGE CALL

P JECTORS Screenplay SP4805 DIP f CALL Screenplay RR5700 DLP CALL Screenplay /205 DIP CALL

Screenplay e7210 DLP CALL Screenplay ,'/ 77 DIP f CALL Sharp /91E DIP E CALL

Sharp <v-120o/201 DIP E CALL

Sharp .V-22.000 DIP f CALL

Sim 2 . limito 18 DIP CALL

Sim 2 Domino 20-H HDMI DIP . £ CALL Sim 2 Domino 30-H HDMI DIP E CALL

Sim 2 HT300E DIP f CALL Sim 2 HT500 Link DIP f CALL

Themekene H30A Cinema DIP E CALL

ThemeScene H57 Cinema DIP f CALL ThemeScene H77 Cinema DIP CALL

REMOTE CONTROLS Maranta • .

Marantz

Philips

f399.95

E799.95

£1399.95

The Magnificent Seven Visit the special offers page on our website for some fantastic savings on new and ex-demonstration equipment. www.sruPrmakssoundandvision.co.uk and click-on Special Offers

jr PRICING POLICY


In the event you can find the same products and excellent service at a lower price, please bring it to our store managers' attention.

ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES The right accessories can make

or break your system.

Our carefully selected raige, including QED, Soindstyle and Grado, will easure you get the very best performance from your system

0% FINANCE OPTION*


0% finance option is available on the majority of products we stock.

'Written details on request. Licensed credit

brokers. Minimum balance £400. Subject to status.

PLEASE NOTE Some products/brands are not available at all stores. Please call to confirm or visit our website before travelling.

'Added Value Offers . From range available

in-store Not in conjunction with any other offer

ADVERT VALID UNTIL AT LEAST 02/06/2005, E&OE.

6

ABERDEEN 01224 252797 NEW • Si CROWN STREET OPEN SUNDAY

BEDFORD 01234 272779 • 29-31 ST PETERS STREET

BIRMINGHAM 0121 233 2977 • ARCH 12, LIVERY STREET

BRIGHTON 01273 733338 • 5/ WESILRN ROAD, HOVE

BRISTOL 0117 974 3727 • 92B VVHFTELADIES ROAD, CLIFTON

BROMLEY 020 8290 1988 • 39A EAST STREET

CAMBRIDGE 01223 304770 • 17 BURLEIGH STREET

CARDIFF 029 2047 2899 • 104-106 ALBANY ROAD

CHELSEA 020 7352 9466 • 403 KINGS ROAD

CHELTENHAM 01242 241171 • 14 PfT1VILLE STREET

CRAWLEY 01293 510777 • 32 THE BOULEVARD OPENSUM«

CROYDON 020 8665 1203 • 369-373 LONDON ROAD

EALING 020 8579 8777 • 24 THE GREEN OPEN SUNDAY

EDINBURGH 0131 229 7267 • 5 II-SE GRASSMARKET

EPSOM 01372 720720 • 12 UPPER HIGH STREET OPEN SWAY

EXETER 01392 218895 • 28 COWICK STREET

GLASGOW 0141 332 9655 • 88 GREAT WESTERN ROAD

GUILDFORD 01483 536666 • 73B NORTH STREET

HOLBORN 020 7837 7540 • 144-148 GRAYS INN ROAD

HULL 01482 587171 • 1 SAVILE ROW SAVILE STREET

IPSWICH 01473 286977 • 12-14 DOGS HEAD STREET

KINGSTON 020 8547 0717 • 43 FIFE ROAD opeiStalailY

LEEDS 0113 245 2775 • 62 NORTH STREET opei SUNDAY

LEICESTER 0116 253 6567 •10 LOSEBY LANE

LINCOLN 01522 527397 • 20-22 CORPORATION STREET (Off NO I MEE)

MAIDSTONE 01622 686366 • 96 WEEK STREET

MANCHESTER 0161 831 7969 • 69 HIGH ST, CITY CENTRE

NEWCASTLE 0191 221 2320 • 19 NEWGATI STREET

NORWICH 01603 767605 • 29-29A ST GUS STREET

NOTTINGHAM 0115 911 2121 • 597-599 MANSFIELD ROAD

OXFORD 01865 241773 • 41 ST CLEMENTS STREET

PETERBOROUGH 01733 897697 • 36-38 PARK ROAD OPOSSUM«

PLYMOUTH 01752 226011 • 107 CORNWALL STREET

POOLE 01202 671677 • LATIMER HOUSE, 44-46 HIGH STREET

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READING 0118 959 7768 • 3-4 KINGS WALK SHOPPING CENTRE

SEVENOAKS 01732 459555 • 109-113 LONDON ROAD

SHEFFIELD 0114 255 5861 • es QUEENS ROAD, HEELEY OPOSSUM«

SOLIHULL 0121 733 3727 • 149-151 STRATFORD ROAD

SOUTHAMPTON 023 8C33 7770 • 33 LONDON ROAD

SOUTHGATE 020 8886 2777 • 74-81 CHASE SIDE

STAINES 01784 460777 • 4 THAMES STREET ORO SLIM«

SWINDON 01793 610992 NEW • 8-9 COMMERCIAI ROAD

SWISS COTTAGE 020 7722 9777 • 21 NORTHWAr, PDE, FINCHLEY RD OPEN SUMP

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 01892 531543 • 28-30 ST JOHNS ROAD

WATFORD 01923 213533 • 478 ST ALBANS ROAD OPOSSUM.«

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WITHAM (ESSEX) 01376 501733 • 1 THE GROVE CENTRE

WOLVERHAMPTON 01902 312225 • 29-30 CLEVELAND STREET

OPENING HOURS. Pt. ASE TELEPHOEL OP VISR OUR VVEBSITE EMAIL ,ect store IczattonlOsevenoakssoundandvIston co uk

Who are Sevenoaks? Establisheo as Sevenoaks Hi-Fi in 1972, we have grown steadily onto one of the leading

independent home entertainment specialists in the UK, earning a reputation for

outstanding service, choice and value for money. In 1995, reflecting our commitment to the

emergent new technologies in home cinema, our name was changed to Sevenoaks Sound & Vision. We now have 49 stores across the land stocking a broad range of exceptional

equipment and accessories.

How to shop at Sevenoaks When it comes to making big decisions about what to buy, there's no substitute for actually

road-testing your prospective purchases - seeing, hearing and experiencing the products in action, with the benefit of our expert knowledge and guidance to help you choose. To get

the most from your Sevenoaks Sound & Vision experience, simply follow this checklist:

• ESTABLISH YOUR AIMS - Are you tweaking an existing system to improve sound or picture quality, or are you looking for a more fundamental and comprehensive upgrade?

• BRING YOUR FAVOURITE DISCS WITH YOU - To ensure you get the most from the music and movies in your collection, it pays to test equipment using those very same discs

or records, That way you can readily compare levels of performance. However, if you prefer,

we can supply a selection of demo discs - current mainstream entertainment that serves to highlight the capabilities of the equipment.

• JUST ASK - If you are unsure of any aspect of the products or technologies available, or would like more information about installation options, simply let us know and our staff will be happy to help you out.

• TAKE YOUR TIME - We want you to be as happy as possible with your choices, so please

take as much time as you need to determine which products are right for you.

Hi-Fi & Home Cinema Guide - 2005 Edition

Pick-up a copy of our New 72 Page Guide

at your nearest Sevenoaks Sound & Vision

store or order a copy via our Website. The brochure will be posted to you (UK mainland

addresses only) free of charge.

Custom Installation Sevenoaks Sound & Vision's Custom Installation Service enables the

integration of a home cinema or hi-fi system into your home as neatly and seamlessly as possible. All

electronics can be hidden away,

speakers discreetly mounted either in the wall or ceiling and

the complete system operated via

remote control.

Our installation experts are fully

trained to the highest standards

in all areas and provide a

prompt, reliable and professional

service. Whether you're looking for a multi-room system, a dedicated

home cinema installation with a retractable screen and built-in speakers or

an integrated control or lighting

system, Sevenoaks Sound & Vision has

a diverse range of products available to cater for all your requirements.

Î t‘,' aniewiàined

FREE CUSTOM INSTALLATION BROCHURE available now from your nearest store

or via our website

Sevenoaks Website The Sevenoaks Sound & Vision website has news and ntormation on the Sevenoaks group

and detailed pages to help you locate your nearest store. In addition, there are hundreds of

SPECIAL OFFERS and STOCK CLEARANCE items available from our stores nationwide - many with savings of up to 50%. To view our regularly updated product lists, visit

vvww.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk and click on special offers

www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk

7 SEVEN0a<S

Accessories Club

REGA ARM REWIRE OPTIONS For this month's special offer, we put together all that's good in the world of Rega retrofits, in a single package at a price that should appeal! We've even included the Rega arms themselves, so what more could you desire?

Our offer consists of an Incognito Rewire Loom, a Michell 'Tecnoweight' counterweight, and an Incognito ' Easy Riser' VTA adjuster, a package that can either be supplied asa retrofit kit to those who already have Rega arms, or complete with one of two Moth-badged Rega arms.

Rega arms need no introduction — simple to fit (single hole fitting, just drill a 23mm dia hole on a 222mm centre) trouble free, remarkably cartridge-tolerant, and with a sound quality far in excess of their price tag. Our offer includes either the Moth MKI arm, an OEM version of the Rega RB250, or the Moth M KI I I, an OEM Rega RB300. Both are supplied pre-wired with Incognito Looms, a unique wiring system based on Cardas copper I itz wire fitted with Cardas cartridge tags.

The Incognito wiringsystem improves on the original with one-piece pure copper wiring from headshell to phono plug, a fully balanced twisted pair design with a ' Faraday cage' shield, 'Star'

earthingwith an additional discrete earth conductor. The external lead measures 1.2metres and has a flexible construction that allows its use on suspended turntables. Where supplied separately, Incognito looms can be installed into any Rega type arm as an interesting and easy DIY project, full instructions and parts are supplied, though a small soldering iron will be required to attach the cartridge tags. When installed, the Incognito

VTA adjuster sits at the top of the arm pillar, appearing as a thin washer immediately above the arm board. It al lows for the vertical adjustment of the arm, catering for different turntables, cartridges and even the thickness of different records! JA Michel I Engineering's

Tecnoweight has achieved much acclaim in its relatively short life.

Drawing on a lifetime's expertise of turntable technology, the Tecnoweight idealises the mechanical characteristics of the Rega arm, dropping the centre of gravity into line with the stylus tip and allowing fine, accurate adjustment of downforce via its precision graduated scale. We are offering the DIY

package of Loom, VTA and counterweight at £ 180.00 (regular price £212.50), complete with a Moth MKI arm (RB250) £300.00 (normally £350.50) or complete with the Moth MKI I I ( RB300)arm, £325.00 (usual price £384.50). All prices include postage within the UK, all orders supplied with our normal 28 day returns policy. Export orders will attract additional postage at cost.

Incognito/MichelVDIY package £180

Incognito/Michell/Moth MKI arm package £300

Incognito/Michell/Moth MKIII arm package £3257

• Visit www. hifi accessoriesclub.com - email orders welcome

accessories club order form Name

Address _

Post code

Tel ephone

Cheque/postal order enclosed for £ (pounds sterling) made payable to:

'HFN Accessories Club' or please charge my AccessNisa/Diners/Amex (delete)*

Card Number

IL IL r7IL I

Expires (date)_ Signature

TO ORDER Please send completed order form (or a photocopy) to:

HFN Accessories Club & CD Service

PO Box 200, Bedford MK40 1YH, UK

OR Fax your order form to: 01234 742028

OR Telephone: 01234 741152

OR E-mail: [email protected]

OR Visit the secure order facility at www.hifiaccessoriesclub.com

UK SALES All prices include VAT. Accessories Club prices

include postage and packing for all items, whatever their size,

anywhere in the United Kingdom.

EXPORT SALES Export sales are always very welcome. Where

applicable they will be free of VAT (Sales Tax), but will

be subject to additional shipping at cost. Please contact

us for quotation. Delivery subject to availability. E&OE.

EXCLUSIVE TO HI-FI NEWS MEN 001 FLUXDUMPER 'Magic Brick' for valve amps

HFN 002 TEST LP 'The Producer's Cut' HFN 004 BLACKHEAD Moving-coil transformer HFN 005 SPIKE SET 8 x M6 spikes for wood/steel MEN 012 STACK STORAGE Black MDF 465mm-wide

LP Store: 120-LP, 2- divider, 360(h) x 340(dl £85 D

CD Store: 160-CD, 4-shelf, 720(h) a 165(d) £99 D CD Base: 160-CD, 4-shelf, 720(h) x 165(d) £99

HFN 017 WALLNUT II Wall-mounting 2- shelf table £85 D HFN 022 SORBOTHANE Damping sheet 150x 150x3mm £ 13 D

HFN 026 LP DIVIDERS Set of 25, tabbed £12 D HFN 027 CD DIVIDERS Set of 25, tabbed £12 Cl HFN 028 SOFTSHOES Isolation feet, pack of 12 £18 D HEN 030 4MM BANANA PLUGS Set of 4 £10 D HEN 031 IEC LINE SOCKET £8 D HFN 032 SORBOTHANE FEET 40mm hemispheres (each) £4 D

Blue ( Soft) 0-4kg per set of 3 £12 0 Red ( Medium) 5-8kg per set of 3 £12 D Black ( Hard) 9-12kg per set of 3 £12 IT

£30 D £25 D £140 £12 D

BEN DUNCAN'S PURE SERIES THE FULL RANGE of Ben Duncan's mains conditioners, wiring

and other products, is available: call for more details.

VINYL CARE & PROTECTION LP OUTER SLEEVES Heavy duty PVC, per 50 £20

LP GATEFOLD OUTER SLEEVES Heavy duty PVC, per 25 £20 D LP INNER SLEEVES Paper, per 100 £12 D LP INNER SLEEVES Poly/paper, per 100 £15 D LP INNER SLEEVES Nagaoka style, per 50 £10 LP STORAGE BAGS 12in sealed, per 100 £10 D DECCA 2+21 Record- cleaning brush £13 D SHORE SFG-2 Stylus pressure gauge £24 D CARTRIDGE MAN Digital stylus balance, 0.002g £220 D CARTRIDGE MAN Digital turntable level £220 D MOTH RECORD-CLEANING MACHINE Mk 1 £400 D MOTH RECORD-CLEANING MACHINE Mk I Kit £225 D MOTH RECORD- CLEANING MACHINE Mk 11 £450 MOTH RECORD- CLEANING MACHINE Mk Il Kit £255 MOTH RECORD-CLEANING MACHINE Mk II Pro £500 D MOTH RECORD-CLEANING FLUID 1 litre £17.50 D MOTH RECORD-CLEANING FLUID 5 litres £35 D RINGMAT 330 Mk Il XLR Ringmat £50 17 RINGMAT Anniversary Ringmat £70 D RINGMAT LP Blue Statmat/Statcap £45 D RINGMAT LP support system full spacer set, blue £ 145 D NAD PP-2 Phono stage, m-m/m-c £50 D

LAST Power clean LP cleaner £27.50 D LAST LP preservative £27.50 D LAST Record cleaner £15 ID LAST Stylast stylus treatment £27.50 D

LAST Stylus cleaner £15 Cl GRYPHON EXORCIST Cartridge Demagnetiser £ 100 D CARDAS Sweep LP £25 D ZEROSTAT Antistatic pistol £37.50 D MICHELL Tecnoweight (Rega) £67.50 D MICHELL VTA adjuster (Rega) £25 D MICHELL Unicover (universal £44 D KAB Speedstrobe, includes LED light source £75

INCOGNITO ARM REWIRE LOOM ( Rega) 1.2m £115 INCOGNITO ARM REWIRE LOOM (universal) 1.2m INCOGNITO VTA ADJUSTER ( Regal INCOGNITO CARTRIDGE TAGS per 4, gold INCOGNITO ARM WIRE 5 colours, per metre INCOGNITO ARM PLUG 1LS 5-pin INCOGNITO ACRYLIC PLATTER (Regal SRM TURNTABLE TUNING KIT ( Rega) SRM TURNTABLE TUNING KIT (Linn) SRM TURNTABLE TUNING KIT (Thorens) SRM TURNTABLE TUNING KIT ( Roksan)

SRM TURNTABLE TUNING KIT ( Manticore) SRM FELT TURNTABLE MAT SRM SILICONE TURNTABLE MAT SRM TURNTABLE SPIRIT LEVEL SRM PRO CARTRIDGE MOUNTING KIT MFSL GEODISC cartridge alignment gauge

£25 D £18 D £25 D £12 D £45 D £30 D £35 D £48 D £48 D £43 D £9 D

£25 D £15 D £6 D £40 D

CD/DVD CARE & PROTECTION CD 'JEWEL' CASES

Standard Sin complete, pack of 10 Maxi- single slimline, pack of 10 Slim double, pack of 5 Standard double, pack of 3

5in PVC protective sleeves, pack of 30 DENSEN D MAGIC CD demagnet,ser DENSEN D MAGIC DVD demagnetiser

AYRE System Enhancement Disc CHESKY ULTIMATE Test CD CHESKY ULTIMATE DVD 5.1 setup disc

ULTIMATE Stereo Hearing & Equipment Refresher STEREOPHILE Test CD1/2/3, set of 3 OLD/REFERENCE Test and burn- in CD BIB CD CARE KIT Lens cleaner and CD restorer

BIB DVD CARE KIT Lens cleaner kit SID Sound Improvement Disc SID Sound Improvement Disc BEDINI CD Treatment System ( handheld) RINGMAT Statmat Mk II CDi RINGMAT Statmat CDi, blue

£6.50 D £6.50 D £6.50 D £6.50 D

£6.50 E£ 1 0 Cl

£25 D £16 CI £15 D £22 El

£15 D £30 D

£24 D £12.50 D

£15 D £18 D £18 D £70 D

£18.45 £37.50 D

112 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNew www.hifinews.co.uk

AT International AC-2 Power Cord.

ilyerfused wire technology

he conductors are 10

auge and with PTFE, e best insulation avail-ble. Fitted as standard th IEC / MK Toughplug. 60cm £62, 90cm £75.

2m £88, 1.5m £ 101, 8m £ 112 etc. Silver dition for an extra 6.Also available are 4, 6

d way all metal power stribution blocks - UK. chuko and USA sockets

ther LAT cables with Silverfused wire technology

alog, Video and Digital Interconnects, les - single and biwire

o

BOSENDORFER

Loudspeakers AC-7 voted Best Loudspeaker for 2004

by Wallpaper Magazine.

Le Festival Son et Image de Montréal 2004 It was also perfect-

ly obvious that the BOsendorfer

loudspeakers had the finest reproduction of piano music

that I have ever heard. Seeing

the quality of the piano in the same room as the loudspeak-

ers. I was impressed, but not

surprised. They obviously knew what they were doing when they built these beau-

ties ..

LAT AC-2 Power cord compare with products costing ten times as much, then decide

AUDUSA Eupen The world's only audio

cables with extruded fer-rite. Analogue digital inter-connects and power cords

GNLM 05/2.5 (CSA2.5) £48 for 1.0m, £58 for 1.5m,

£68 for 2.0m.

GNLM 05/04 £58 for 1m, £72 for 1.5m and £86 for 2m.

Fitted with MK Tough Plug and IEC. Silver Edition an extra £6

GNLM cables are available off the reel

Analog Interconnect £75 for 1m pair RCA or XLR. Digital

Interconnect 1m £45 RCA/BNC etc. Video Interconnect 1m £38

e

Acoustic Solid Small Royal Turntable with Type

Two stand - hand polished aluminium. Turntable weight 25kg, platter 15kg, nylon thread belt, near zero tolerance bearing with

polished ceramic ball on teflon thrust plate, 6mm acrylic platter and leather mat.

WWW.AUDUSA.COM T: 020 8241 9826, 020 8264 0249 F: 020 8241 0999 E: [email protected]

01273 608332 ALIUM AUDIO Distributors Of Quality Hi-Fi

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consomlance audio products

"REFERENCE SERIES" CD/SACD Players, Tuners, Pre-Amps, Integrated Amplifiers

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"CYBER SIGNATURE SERIES" INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS 300B (22wpc) P/P 2A3 ( 11 wpc) P/P 6550 (50wpc) P/P Remote Control, for Input/Volume.

"CYBER SERIES" MONOBLOCKS in Push-Pull,

and Single-Ended.300B, 211, 845, 6CA7.

c4à-ec)/11(liog- Quality Hand-Built Italian Loudspeakers, • High Efficiency 92dB-94dB Sensitivity, Stand-Mount, and Floor-Standing Designs

E-Mail [email protected] Website www.aliumaudio.com

YOUR SEARCH HAS IN E

NOW HERE'S A THING. ITS ONLY GOT A COUPLE OF VALVES. A

1 RANSFORMER. SOME WIRES AND RESISTORS. A FEW MYSTERIOUSLY mARKED COMPONENTS. APPARENTLY SIMPLE. BUT THE ART IS IN THE

DETAIL. BELIEVE US.TOUR DEALER KNOWS.

HAVE A GOOD LISTEN. SO WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS'

NOW L. U.TEN.APAIN. LISTEN CAREFULLY AND TELL THEM THAT THIS

ISN'T THE BEST THING YOU'VE EVER HEARD AT THIS PRICE. OR ANY OTHER PRICE FOR THAT MATTER.

NOW HEAR WHAT THE EXPERTS HAVE TO SAY:

"With a taste of the best of both tube ancl transistor, this is a truly endearing power amplifier. - P. E,PDIIAN,141,, ,,,,D. MARC,.

^ Ike amplifier has been taking on bigger, beefier competitors and slaughtering them, a real David vs. Goliath scenario." KEN IcEssua.me 'aim. JAN 1.6o.

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mon-fri: 9 - 6pm

sat: 9 - 1pm audio salon 4 park circus, glasgow, g3 6ax, scotland

FREE BOOK ON THE SILVER DISC FORMATS Introducing the new C-5xe

If you are at all interested in Hi-Fi you need to have this book Fortunately it's free ... with the new C-5xe Universal Stereo Player. However, if you own a C-5xe, you don't need the book. You just pop a silver disc in the drawer and the C-5xe identifies the species, even from the variable formats within CD, SACD, DVD, MP3; and it plays the highest resolution layer available. It is a purist audio-only 2-channel player (RCA or fully-balanced) with a digital output for PCM.

If it finds the best layer in a compressed surround format on a DVD soundtrack, say Dolby 5.1 or DTS, it mixes down to 2-channels, although I personally have discovered that surround information gives you the goose bumps by phase information making a 3-D image from two loudspeakers.That, incidentally, is a high compliment to the phase accuracy of the C-5xe.Try the soundtrack from the famous Roy Orbison DIS encoded DVD; see, I told you! Now try the DVD-a version of Neil Young's Harvest, and experience an audiophile revelation! And they say that

nothing's new?

Hearing your music afresh you probably won't have time to read that manual, but if even Barry Fox has

left us puzzled by the multiplicity of variety within the formats, Charles Hansen's expertise and real experience of the many discs has cut a path through the jungle for the serious music lover and audiophile. Reader or listener.

The C-5xe is a brilliant product from a brilliant company in a world of lookalike and transient models.Available in black or silver, it is a steal and 1 have to confess that I will now have to change my opinion about universal players sounding compromised.This one does not, and it therefore outperforms CD players on CD at twice the price. Five stars.

[Leo Ill. , • •

Ayre Acoustics

Ayre Acoustics is rightly perceived as a young company with heritage! The young bit is a team headed by Charles Hansen, and in the UK you get to see Michael at the Heathrow shows. It's nice that they take the UK as a serious interest, not just a monthly shipment.

Hailing from Boulder Colorado, the heritage began with the K I pre-amp in the early nineties. When CD was /undermining the perceived need for a pre-amp, Mr Hansen delivered the K I to an astonished world.When we

advertised a rare used one about 5 years later, we literally had customers fighting over itToday, the K-5x sells for under £2,500 with an outboard P-5x phono pre-amplifier for less than £2,000. Either or both products do not demand record-breaking prices, and yet, the performance offers a true high-end experience comparable to much higher priced rivals.

The hallmarks of all Ayre products are a clean simplicity of execution:a detailed and accurate sound, and then a bit. Let's call it the X-factor where X stands for the non-electronic, non-digital, non compressed sound we ultimately turn away from with disappointment. X is a glue that keeps you stuck to your seat, moved amused by the nuances of the performers who are rendered as people not noises.

The cheapest way to taste Ayre is a number of their accessories, which have become legends.There is the famous CD (£ 15.95)

which is more than a burn-in tool, but more of a system enhancer.Track 7 has the amazing demagnetising tones. And there are the seamless Ayre XLR to RCA adaptors, and the myrtle wooden blocks (£ 12.70 for a set of three including postage; yes, they work). And in collaboration with George Cardas,Ayre Signature interconnect and tonearm cables are very special, certainly in the context of an Ayre system.

System-matching is the skill of manufacturer, dealer and consumer. It is a well-known fact that Ayre components form a system sounding more than the sum of its prices. It is easy to overlook the sub

£2,500 integrated amplifier AX-7 and CD Player CX-7 as lesser machines than big-hitters unless you check them out.

In the world of stereo,Ayre's K-5x preamp and V-5x power amplifier silence arguments that premium products are overpriced. In the world of video and multi-channel, products like the D- I x CD/DVD player and the V-6x multi-channel amplifiers are breakthrough products which have already earned the utmost in respect and reviews.

The very latest news from this energetic and mould-breaking company is the "evolution" status of all products which have shipped since November 2004.This is a series of related revisions and upgrades by which the best just got better.

If you want to rise above the rivals, walk on Ayre.

You heard it here.

✓ I

AX-7 Integrated Amplifier

✓ II

CX-7 CD Player

DXY DVD Transport

D- I x DVD/CD Player

P-5x Phono Stage

K- I x Pre Amplifier

✓ _q¡

K-5x Pre Amplifier

•

V- I x Power Amplifier

V-5x Power Amplifier

V-6x Multichannel Amplifier

professional and hand-crafted hi-fi equipment

art audio art loudspeakers atC audio philosophy audiosoume ayre bcd bow chord cables custom design

ear esoteric furman grand prix audio gryphon jps klbs kemp elecuoniks lyra mark levinson manly labs

michell simon yorke oracle sme origin live stands unique parasound sumiko pass labs stax pathos thiel pnmare townshend pro ac unison research revel vac shanling zingali

finance available

mage maestro

"The best tonearm I've

heard" HI Fl WORLD

winner of Stereo Times magazine Most wanted component II of 2004 award

new benchmark for musical communication" STEREO TIMES

" One of the truly special products Lve reviewed in the past 18 years" STEREOPHILE

The new generation of toneams from Origin Live have won admiration and rave reviews across the world for good reason - these arms better the best by a significant margin. Whatever your current arm, you can at last treat yourself to a serious upgrade. Why not arrange for a demonstration now.

Demonstrably better

Tonearm Models Conqueror - £2501)

Illustrious - £1570 Encounter - f970

Silver - 099 01,1 from - £124

NEW SOVEREIGN' DECK

Ultimate performance for your system

TCC he best musical results of any turntable

I've ever heard, regardless of price. Since I've been listening to turntables professionally for 32 years and am aware of the pitfalls of ultimate proclamations, I hesitate somewhat to make this statement. Nevertheless, it is true. The level of musical communication available from the Illustrious/Aurora Gold is in a class by itself. It sets a new reference."

STEREOTIMES on the Aurora gold turntable & illustrious tonearm

IFull information on web site www.originlive.com

Hazlemere Audio

MEW I ) igital dCS Metronome Opus 21 (new from Resolution Audio) Oracle

Amplification Chapter Audio DNM Lamm Nagra Plinius Renaissance Spectral

Power supply Accuphase Isotek Jaya Loricraft

Avid Garrard Oracle

Speakers ART Talon Verity Audio REF 3A

Cables Nirvana Siltech Spectral

Supports Clearlight Kinabalu

If you value the best (rather than just the most expensive)

For an appointment (day or evening)

Call High Wycombe (01494 865829) art, oudspeakers

Audio Analogue • Creek • Ecosse • Fanfare Gamut • Harmonic Technology • Ortofon • Piega

Reference 3A • SME • Sugden • Triangle

ORIGIN LIVE Tel/Fax: +44 02380 578877 E-mail: infoeoriginlive.com

ART Audio was established in 1988 Designer Tom Willis, produces world-class products that truly stand the test of time.

ART Audio Products are hand-crafted/built in the UK and can be tailor-made to suit your exact requirements.

The ART Audio range consists of Single-ended. Push-pull vacuum tube amplifiers, Pre-amps, Phono Stages and a 24/96 Tube DAC.

Products range .from £900 to £20,000.

For further information please contact

Definitive Audio Nottingham, Notts 01159 733 222

shwWlweci udiacau feitiveaudio.co.uk itiNeak

Hear Here London 020 7937 0856 07768 738 372 [email protected]

Shadow Audio Glenrothes, Scotland 01592 744 779 [email protected] www.shadowaudio.co.uk

62 Vaughan Avenue. Hucknall, Notts NGI5 8BT www.artaudio.co.uk 1 [email protected]


Russ Andrews Aczessories Ltd, 28 Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park, Shap Road, tendal, 159 6NS, u. Tel: +44 1539 797.300 Fax: 44 1539 797325 Solutions for better ,71USiC & movies

sheer performance it's easy

recommend the KIMBER Select

KS3038... This is a true reference

grade cable design combining

accuracy and neutrality with the

musical message."

Hi-Fi News, Jon 02

PUL STAX we asked a cross section of our

customers rank in order of

importance the primary reasons

why they chose to purchase from us.

This is what they said:

1. The 28 day satisfaction or your money

back guarantee.

2. Havir g the entire range on

permanent demonstration in our

demonstration room.

3 Unbeatable upgrade path i.e.

Generous trade-in values,

minimum 90% p/ex within 4 months, minimum 70% piex

within the first 12 months

4. Relaxed demonstrations in the

buyer's home.

5 The confidence of the loan facility if the

purchase should fail.

6 Offer ng exclusives on the SRM-717, the SR-4070

the SRS- 3030, 4040 and SR- 717's in BLACK

7 Comprehensive, uncomplicated website

Interestingly, nobody mentioned price

www.simplystax.co.uk

0208 447 8485 7 days a week until 9pm

Ilers Stereo 4111 nodal «am Mk ETU or ICTU ulna ler nib £7118,85, sr EU ter sesem nic Male Matt

New Kr65 & KT88 Versions available now!

'The Stereo 401 sound has a lovely spacious and airy quality with

plenty of depth... The frequency response exhibited extended bass

below 10Hz" ..."Stunning styling and an impressive spec at a very

sharp price".... Hi Fi Choice June '04

Choice- Award Winner In III FI News ter 2nd Year

Awarded Hi Fi News Editors Choice 2003' "Icon Audio offers sensible, well sorted valve amps, with

adequate power and built to a good standard"

NI Fi News Fen '04 said._ "ample, deep, bass, underpinning a lucid and effortless midrange and treble ""l liked the impeccable

finish and feeling of bomb-proof solidarity as well some of the most

natural sounding nusic that have heard at home". Tony Bolton

No One else OW you all Mis value • Beautiful see through valve cover (Included in the price)

• Over 32 variants of Stereo 40i from £599 to £1079

• Choice of Mullard, JJ. EH & Svetlana valve upgrades

• Switchable Triode Mode (40i&SE) highly praised in reviews

• Tape Monitor. essential for Tape, CD-R and home cinema

• Tape out (essentia: for any kind of recording)

• 'Soft Start', protects from switch on 'power surge'

• HT Delay to p,otect valves & extend life (optional extra)

• Each amp carefully commissioned & tested in Leicester

• Part Exchange facility for your old equipment, ask us!

Features include: All Triode front end Hand built ' Point to Point' winng. Tape monitor circuit. ALPS Volume control. No printed circuit board Gold plated terminals Audiophile components by Solen, Ftubyc,on, Silver audio cable Stainless steel & alloy plate construction. Soft start Plexiglas valve cage included Upgrade options.

Stereo 20

LA Z3

WE 13 25 3003 PP 28w Mono blocks ( pr) £ 1799.95

Ask for an illustrated Leaflet Auditions by appointment.

To find out rrore, ask for an illustrated leaflet teiterec, 401 EL34 40w(19 triode) integrated £899.95*

IStex-ec, 401e EL34 40 watts integrated £599.95*

Eiterec. 401 SE KT66(retro)orKT88(Svetlana) £799.95*

E L84 15 watts integrated £599.95*

Triode Line Level pre amp £599.95*

t-ifiel &Teel £599.95 Same spec & finish, no tape monitor loop, triode facility or Silver cable. Triode only conversion £50. Mullard, Svetlana & JJ valve upgrade £50.

Beware of imitations! Other amus may look similar, but our circuits are unique to us & designed for UK 240v operation. Full repair a after sales In Leicester UK *Tiy for 30 days, refund if not delighted! (UK only, conditions apply)e&oe

Visit our new website at www.lconaudio.co.uk Phone 07787 158791 Email [email protected] ite_crei

351 Aylestone Road Leicester LE2 8TA

www.hifinews.co.uk

Visa and MasterCard accepted CE marked


TURBOCHARGING YOUR REGA ARM

"Nothing less than total dynamite" HI-FI WORLD

If you are the proud owner of any Rega tonearm, you are now in the enviable position to transform it's performance into the league of super arms with our modifications. The OL structural modification at £75 will enable your Rega to perform at a level exceeding that of some arms costing over £1000! High performance rewiring with high grade litz wire is also offered at an additional £70 and external rewiring is also £70 further increasing the performance.

"I have to say the Rega modifications turn this humble arm into a real giant killer. Gone is the rather grey, sterile sound of the cooking Rega. Instead, tonal colour is fresh, dynamics have great speed and impact, and the sound stage is huge."

HI-FI WORLD ON STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION

Structural modification awarded 5 star rating by

Structural Modification - £75 Internal Rewiring - £70 External Rewiring - £70 High conductivity phono plugs £20 Slotted arm tube - £85 If you do not have an arm we can supply the OL1 arm (manufactured

by Rega) £124

Arm modifications normally returned within 1 - 3 days

WHAT HIFFI? S01010 MID VISION

*****

UNIVERSAL MOTOR UPGRADE

Upgrades & replaces motors & power supplies for ALL

belt drive turntables

"The single most important upgrade you can

ever make to any record deck concerns the motor drive...nothing can repare you for the shock of going DC. In a word, gobsmacking. COMMON GROUND MAGAZINE

"It's value is nothing short of tremendous." LISTENER MAGAZINE

"The LP12 remains a classic ...but ..upgrade kits by Origin Live can bring a vast improvement to it's performance" HI FI NEWS

Universal turntable motor kit The Cinderella of Hi-Fi - largely overlooked and dismissed, but capable of

outperforming a £2000 cartridge upgrade. No one would blame you for being

sceptical of an easy to fit, inexpensive dc motor upgrade. Especially one that improves on the hest of other power supplies costing over 4 times .s mull or

your money back. It is simply impossible to imagine the level of improvement

attained by eliminating the motor vibration that your stylus amplifies over 8,000

tiniest Our DC motor kit offers massive improvements to all versions of Linn

Lingo / Valhulla, Rega, Systemdeck, Roksan, Rock etc. The kits consist of a drop

in replacement high grade DC motor and off-board 2 speed control box. Why not order now? - see web site or phone.

Standard dc Motor Kit - £ 199

Advanced dc Motor Kit - £339 Ultra dc Motor Kit - £570 Upgrade Transformer - £. 175

Upgrade DC 200 motor - £129 with kit

ORIGIN LIVE Tel/Fax: +44 02380 578877 E-mail: [email protected]

wvew.originlive.com

ART Stiletto If ever there was a loudspeaker that was sexy - this is it! Welcome to the Stiletto. ART's new baby. Its sleek inside and out - internally minimalist to give you the sound you asked for, not some smudged approximation.

We use custom-made drive units, ART horn technology - first devised for the world-beating Impression system, and, since its all about timing, we acoustically align the units to perfection. And to remove any vestigial vibrations, the speaker comes partly sand-filled. But its only when you put all the technology and design experience together that you get a speaker of such quality.

This speaker is easily driven by modestly powered amplifiers, and is equally at home in multi-channel applications with the ART Skibo Centre Channel. The product is available in cherry and maple real-wood veneers, or a variety of painted finished on request.

tel/fax + 44 ( 0)1292 319 416 [email protected] www.loudspeaker-art.com

Acoustica, Chester

Acoustica, Stafford

Adventures In HiFi, Wigan

Audio Consultants, Reading

Audio Salon, Glasgow

Audio with Vision, Ayr

Divine Audio, Market Harborough

Griffin Audio, Birmingham

Hazelmere Audio, High Wycombe

HiFi Corner, Glasgow

HiFi Corner, Edinburgh

HiFi Corner, Edinburgh

HiFi Corner, Falkirk

Moorgate Ac cs, ISheffield

Practical HiFi , , Warrington

Sounds Perfect, Dundee

Republic; Leeds

The Audio Room, Hull

e Audio Works, Cheadle

oudspeakel

01244 344 227

01785 258 216

01942 234 202

0118 981 9891

0141 333 9700

01292 260 149

01858 432 999

0121 224 7300

01494 865 398

0141 226 5711

0131 220 1535

0131 556 7901

01324 629 011

0114 275 6048

01925 632 179

01382 226 592

01132 177 294

01482 891 37

0161 428 78

overseas (ANJ International Ltd. Hong Kong) tel 00 ( 852) 2418 0088 [email protected]


The Guide call 0208 726 8323 to advertise

West Midlands

cinema

multi-room

MUSIC MATTERS AUDIO & HOME CINEMA

SPECIALISTS

We offer custom installation of

complete systems integrating hi-fi,

home cinema, multi-room and

lighting. Home trials are available

for many products

London

NI ARUN LOGAN

Our extensive range of products includes • Arcam • Apollo • Anthony Gallo • Atacama • Atlas • Base • Bowers & Wilkins • Nautilus Diamond available at Edgbaston • Chapter Audio • Chord Company • Chord Electronics • Cyrus • Denon • Dream Vision • Dynaudio • Dynavector • Epos • Grado • lnfocus • KEF • Krell • LAMM • Marantz • Meridian • Michell • Mission • MJ Acoustics • Monitor Audio • Musical Fidelity • NAD • Naim • Nordost • Ortofon • Panasonic • Pioneer • PMC • Project • Pure • QED • Quad • REL • Rotel • Sennheiser • Sim2 • SME • Sonus Faber • Tascam • Spendor • Teac • Wharfedale • Wilson Benesch • Yamaha

OPEN TUES - SAT 10.00 - 5.30

LATE NIGHT AT BIRMINGHAM AND

SOLIHULL WEDNESDAY UNTIL 6.30PM

Interest free credit on, selected items • 0% APR

Written details on request • Licensed credit broker

BADA

íatiTW

www.musicmatters.co.uk

011 O'Brien Hi-Fi..,.. dim

• AKG • ARCA(GIS • AU111.1 RESEARCH • AUDIO TECHNICA • AVID • BI Y I F • CABLETALK • CHORD CABLES • CREEK • CUSTOM DESIGN • BENDS • DENSES • DIAPASON • 0 YNAVE::TOR • EPOS • EXPOSURE • FINAL . GRADO • GRAAE • GOLDRING • GUTWIRE CABLES • JADIS • JECKLIN • KU • MICHELL • MONRIO • MOON • MYRYAD • NAD • NAIM • OPERA • MVO • ORION LIVE • OPTIMUM • PATHOS • PRIMA LUNA • PROJECT • fell

• RESOLUTION • FESON • SENNHEISER • Siff • SONNETEER • SONUS FABER • STANDS • UNIQUE • SPECTRAL • SUGOEN • TEAC • THORENS • TRANSPARENT CABLES • TRIANGLE • UNISON RESEARCH • WATERFALL • WILSON

Demonstiation RDOM • Free car parking • Major Creel', Cards • Personar Export • Mail Order • Installation Service • Repair facilities • 5 mins walk Raynes Park OR • 20 mins W iterIca • 5 mins from A3 ( Rayne. Park 8282 exc.) • 25 mins M25 Juno 10 . Clearance / Second Rand / Ex Dem Equipment • Details on request

WAS NOW ... meek A50161 (eewi £594 £449 Sous aber Comedian ( new) Ak Analogue Eellini Fre (s/11) £349 £395 Sieek A53 (sit') £550 £ 00 kills faber Concerto (neriii £599 £425 u

£999 £849 Audio Analogue Donizetti Power Amp (s/s) £595 £450 B.yphon Pre ri/c )homoyPSU's ( S/Ti) Audio Analogue PILCH' ftex/dervk black £495 £349 Martin Logan Aeon ( el demi £3150 £t£580409 Sors WMD6 M11 £300 £90

Sugien masterclass CD (sew) £2700 £2200 Audio Analogue Pizami SE (nrw) £895 £649 Morino Asty ST amplitier (50 Watts ex deis) £450 £259 1

Audion 300B SE S hle, right I.teurand (sib) £1550 £229 , Sugien Bijou system (nerd) £2647 £2149 Audio Analoge Maestro CD (new) £1700 £945 Monno Asty amp fex deis) black £450 £375 Moon 5080 03) (e.x/dem £095 Sugden Mastetclass amp (new) £3150 £2250

Auiron 3008 Sflyei Ni014 Mono s £375e TAD 170 AV DVD'CD orocessor ( new) mg mg Theta Data 11 CD (new neon) £1500 £600 Copland CDA81'2 (4x demi £1598 £1049 Quad F614 Mt) £225 Transparent MusicLink Plus 1m) new £299 £249 (trek A52SEpowe: am (sill) £599 £249 Sequence SW' Niue i s im sub woofer (sib) £299 £125 Unx.on Unico ( new i £1195 £945

60 Durham Rd, West Wimbledcr, London SW20 OTW Open 9.30-5.30 Tue,:-Sat Tel. 020 8946 1528/0331 Web: www.obrienhifi.co.uk E-mail shop@DbrienhilLcom

Devon

devons aud o specialists

St,— 4 Audia Audio Phys c. Audion Avid. Ayre, Bel Canto Chapter Audio Cairn Chord, Dali Exposure Grand Prix Audio, Inca Design 'so' 8. Lx con McIntosh Monitor Audio Moon. Musical Parasound. Primare Project, Rel. Roksan. Ruark. Sfax, Tanocy Prestige Thiel Tivoli. Totem Acoustics and many more

> Fee Advice in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere

> UY, Finance Available > 2 Demonstration Rooms > Childs Play Area > Out of Hours Appointments Horse Demonstrations

> Open mon - sat 9am - 5pn

Call 01884 243 584 Mike & Caroline look forward to seeing you soon ,

www.soundcinergy.co.uk

(sound cinergy speCeests tr, home enter...wren,

AE, Creek, Epos, Exposure, Harman !Carden,

Infinity, Linn, Marantz, Mordaunt Short,

NAD, Project, Pure, REL, Roksan, Trichord

37 High Street, Aldridge 01922 457926

lin ri naim cyrus sugden rega krell audio research unison research sonus faber pathos bSom spendor jm lab

the audio room 2 george street, hedon, hull, HU12 8JH

tel 01482 891375 www.theauclioroom.co.uk

open mon-sat 9a m.-6p.m.

To advertise in this section Call 020 8726 8323

EDGBASTON 363 Hagley Road,

Birmingham BI7 8DL 0121 429 2811

SOLIHULL 93-95 Hobs Moat Road West Midlands B92 8JL

0121 742 0254

STOURBR1DGE 9 Market Street

West Midlands DY8 1AB 01384 444184

SUTTON COLDFIELD I O Boldmere Road

West Midlands B73 STD 0121 354 2311

HATCH END 344 Uxbridge Road

Pinner, Middlesex HAS 4HR 020 8420 1925

DARLINGTON 17 Coniscliffe Road

County Durham DL3 7EE 01325 481418

MUSIC MATTERS

THE AUDIO SPECIALISTS

SUE;Dr% A:1 ,W

.41111111.1MBIMMIIIMIL.

0%. Instant Finance Available Written details on request

k I II

HIGH END SALE

KRELL SACO Standard 3100 KRELL KAV-250a 1400

PATHOS LOGOS 1950 MARANTZ SA-12 (unused 1500

KRELL KPS-25sc (latest) POA A-A MAESTRO 192/24 CD 1300 TRANSPARENT CABLE Call

Tel: Pinewood Music 01460 54322


Mobile: 07860 351113

shunyata research

the professional's reference

AUDIO ATMOSPHERE

rA 01785 711232 stuarligaud87.11m0580•18 8001

www audeatmoSphere cum

www.hifinews co.uk JUNE 2005 119

The Guide call 0208 726 8323 to advertise

Surrey

1 mixkisis of: ARCANI • DI \• 1 \ • LEOS • LINN • LOLN F. • Al ItROMEGA • NAIN 81 iiiif• NEAT • REGA • ROTE!.

• RON'D • SHA HINIAN • TL U • 1 ‘‘ I % HA & MORE

nfidelit Yindecently good hi-fi

tt High Street, Hampton V, tel.. It:Input', upon Hume.. Surrey KTI 4DA Ti 020 8943 3530 Open Toes - Sat 10am - 6pm

Cartridges

Front End Problems? then contact:

"The Cartridge Man" It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg

to get the best - listen to my Koetsu-and-Decca-eater. Also agents for Croft, Moth,

Hadcock, E.A.R. and others. 'CARTRIDGE MAN STYLUS GAUGES NOW AVAILABLE'

Plus cartridge re-tipping service

Web Site www.cartridgeman.com thecartridgemangbtinternet.com

020 8688 6565

To advertise in this section

Cali 020 8726 8323

Cables

High End Cable Your friendly cable store

Upgrade your Hi-fi or AV system with quality new cables

and power accessories from

Chord Company - Full range

Stereovox - Studio and Reference

Nordost UK

Black Rhodium - Deep Cryogenic Treatment

Tannoy

van den Hui - Full range

ISOL - 8

Stay earspeakers - Full range

Ortofon - moving coil cartridges

Acoustic Zen

Turbosound personal headphones

Ayre CD

and many more

Free delivery worldwide on all interconnects. For many more money saving offers call Dave Jackson

01775 761880 or better still visit

www.highendcable.co.uk

For all Hi Fi repairs please visit;

www.servicesound.com or phone Geoff on 01424 216245

Specialists in Valve and

reel to reel tape recorders

Norfolk

The Old School School Road, Bracon Ash

- Near Norwich, Norfolk lur Tel: (01508) 570829

Basically Sound of Norfolk Rega, Proac, Neat, PML, Bryston, Final, Nairn,

Denon, Epos, U.K.D., Soundstyle, Chord Co, Cable Talk, Opera Loudspeakers,

Stax, Teac, and others

www.basicallysound.com

Suffolk

atc cubasse

creek epos

harbeth ha rman/kardon

lexicon m + k

michell naim audio

neat acoustics nottingham

Primal' sign sme spendor trichord hi- f, or grown-

I pswic fax (01473)

1.4/ w w.

(01 473) il:enges ignals.uk.corn

MAILORDER - WORLDWIDE

90% of " 1 month home trial" customers keep our N alve amplifiers. Money back guarantee (less £30 UK or £100 overseas, within 30 days) that you prefer £650 or £1,400 "Triode Connection" amplifier to most £200 to £200,000 amplifiers (integrated,pre,power,monoblocks,power supply) (transistor,valve,digital) with silver wire + polypropylene capacitor + Himalayan volume control + snake oil

1. Transformers are very important. Most of our customer prefer our amplifier to ?unbeatable? budget valve amplifiers and most ?high?end? valve amplifier / monoblock because our £350 or £650 transformers are bigger.

2. You do not have to muck about with a separate power supply, if you put a huge transformer + choke regulation into the amplifier.

3. The " heart" of a "typical" £ 3,000 preamplifier is £0.50 "Op amp" or £ 10 valve. About £2,800 is gross profit, VAT, labour and the cost of the pretty box. How can these ?high?end? components improve the sound of our £ 100 300B valve or £40 KT88 valve (matched by our computerised valve tester) ?

There is a difference between " High Price" and " High End" and " King's New Clothes" sensationalized by magazines to sell magazines. A magazine gave a rave review to £3,000 valve amp, whilst another magazine

described it as "slightly bright" and should be used with "warm sounding" speakers. Which magazine do you believe ? Believe YOUR OWN EARS and audition any £3,000 pre I power/ monoblock against our £650 "Triode Connection"

Most 5" or 6" drive units struggle with 10 watts of bass and produce a lot of distortion (1% to 3%). Why do Hi Fi magazines recommend 100 watts amplifiers 2 or 6 pieces for 5" or 6" drive units ? Has any Hi Fi magazine measured the huge distortion of silver and audible compression of 100 watts of bass into a 5" or 6" drive unit ? capacitors

HUGE expensive "High End" "potted" transformers I.

expensive non-magnetic stainless steel

chassis

Larger transformer

Shop prices are expensive because of rent, rates, wages Buy direct & save £££

Free UK delivery Telephone 01634 268662 anytime

2 years guarantee on amplifier & valves. 8 times longer than "typical" 90 days guarantee for most valves of ?high?end? amps

,n our " standard'

sransformers

"1r 4

Big powerful Larger EL34 transformer

valves

• • 40 watts

+ 40 watts

Unbelievably

' huge transformers

•••••

• "ye .n 4

e mer can 5670 , valves

Ultra Linear £1,050 £ 1,150

huge transformer

P.

KT88 valves are more expensive than 6550

valves

se-

Triode Connect on

£1,250 £1,400

KT88 valves are more expensive

than 6550 valves

American 5670 valves

Triode Ultra Linear Connec:ion £650 £750 £1 000

' huge transformer

1-;

Distortion matched famous Russian

Svetalana EL34 valves

40 watts

40 watts American 5670 valves

Upgradeable to £1,000

£500 K+1£8580TforirodcaerÇioagnenection

+ £50 for used valves

Ultra Linear £600 £700

120 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNews www.hifinews.ca.uk

Naim Audio Specialist

the largest selection of mint, pre- loved Haim • •,11,•• ients on th , - • 12 month guarantee

• credit/debit cards

• dem facilities

• mail order

• open 7 days

• products tested

• help & advice

• see website for stock

Tel: 01727 893928 www.tomtomaudio.com

Nottingham

Chantry Audio "No ordinary Hi-Fi Dentier"

A fresh approach to the World of Specialist Hi-Fi

3 Demo Rooms inc. Home Cinema Avid, tata, PrimaLuno (valve), Krell, Martin Logan, Theta, Copeland,

Audio Research, B&W speakers inc Nautilus 800 Series, Sins Projection,

Sonus Faber, D.N.M. Crimson, Wilson Audio, Monitor Audio, Myryad,

Michell, SME, Rote], Denon,

CHANTEY AUDIO SALE New Now B&W 804 Speakers, red cherry, boxed (ex dens) £2,500 £1,695 B&W 805 Signature, boxed, mint, red tiger eye (ex dens) £2,500 £ 1,750 Meridian DSP 5000, rosewood, boxed (ex dew) £4,540 £2,295 Meridian 5000 centre, boxed (ex dew) £2,150 £ 1,195 Acustot Speakers, sub and electron active x over (s/h) £4,350 £ 1,250 Linn Clots!),, block, boxed (ex dens) £ 1,000 £685 Rote] RSX 1055 AV amp, silver, boxed (ex-den) £1,195 £795 Rote] RSP1066 AV Proc/pre, silver, boxed (ex-clern) £995 £695 Please contact us for a full list of eu-dew equipment. To see our full up to date listings go to www.chantryoudio.corn NB. At Ex Dent items are os new, unmarked, and boxed and include the full manufactures guarantee! Offering a minimum of 2 years and up to 5 years, depending open the product.

Moil Order Available

Friendly service and advice in relaxed surroundings. First- Time Buyer to High End Enthusiasts.

EASY ACCESS INTEREST FREE FINANCE FREE PARKING

16-18A Eldon Street, Tuxford, Nr. Newark, Notts NG22 Telephone (01777) 870372 Facsimile (01777) 870437

Norfolk

Falcon oniics ,r hitperemfalcon-components.co.uk

Fall Price List and Focal details on Web Site WI% E UNITS: by FOCAL & seas. and a pick of the

best from other manufacturers. 100+ CROSSOVER NETWORKS: -

Active & Passive. Components, Accessories. New LS3/5A type Crossovers & Components PLUS P.AJProfessional Sound Equipment

Speaker Repairs also available - Contact for details. Dedshete back in stock

COMPONENTS SOLEN Polypropylene capacitors. 0.1mFd. to 100mFd. NEW Values:- 3.0mFd 400v 5% & 9.1mFd 250Y 2.5%

Polyester and Polycarbonate Film Capacitors. 0.ImFd. to 10mFd. ALCAP Reversible Electrolytic Capacitors (Non- Polar);

50Y. 100v & Low Loss. 2mfd. to 600mFd. FALCON Custom-wound Inductors.

FERRITE:- Standard, High Power, Super Power, Super-Super Power AIRCOFtED 0.56 - I.25mm wire; IRON DUST. Imm wire

TAPPED INDUCTORS:- 0-10mH in ImH steps & 0-ImH in 0.ImH steps AUDIO AMATEUR PUBLICATIONS

Back year sets of Speaker Builder, Audio Amateur & Glass Audio. plus the Audio Anthology Set.

Altogether 564- books and Audio Amateur's magazine year sets. 2001 to 2004 > ear sets on CD-It only

Focal Unit Range Price List & Unit Specs FREE on Web site - available in .pdf format

A range of Falcon Designed and Manufactured nits coming later this ear.

8 inch- IS inch12 inch and 15 inch on Die-cast Magnesium Chassis.

SIPPLIERS TO THE TR:IDE SINCE 1972 Said for our FREE price list PL32: Just send a large S.A.E. (47p stamp) or US53 bill overseas. Europe USS2 bill. 2 or 3

International Reply Coupons (IRC) to:- (Dept HEN) Falcon Components Ltd Unit 12 Damgate Industrial Estate. Danhgate Lane. ACLE.

Non, 01, Norfolk NR I 3 31/I Tenn it 443 75111KI Fis ( 0 11 4g11 " 1 155

Hertfordshire

4

thesoundpractice simaudio moon 47 laboratory avid shahinian lavardin electroflutdics living voice

border patrol neat acoustics isoblue resolution audio tom evans audio dnereson ltd audio audio physic slinkylinks

stalbans: 01727 86 33 33 www.thesoundpractice.com

Yorkshire

34‘litc.,1;,41,wt. (2)

Celebrating a Decade of Sound

For friendly ads ice or to arrange your demonstration of Nome o World's finest audio equipment contact JOHN BLEAKLE) LEEDS (0113) 204 9458 (evening calls welcome). Generoo. ',art exchange allowance always available. Agencies include ATC • AVI • Bryston • Chord • Gamut • Lexicon • NorflosE• Primare Systems • Red Rose • RH. • Hpendor • D ikon Benesch • The Pmfessional Monitor to • Veritas • %dirt arid rHin,

remmu Wea • cHoRD,4)

• R.E1D R.C3SE GamuT (1.)130) beneeCh

Phone: LEEDS (0113) 204 9458 Fax: (0113) 253 3098 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.auchorellections.co.uk

LAID-BACK AUDIO LTD 1.;if the sweet sound from a single-ended

valve amplifier made by hand. For more information

[email protected] www.laidback-audio.co.uk

Phone 01905 640028 Fax 01905 641596

-1•/.//ir )1/ -•//

Specialists

Product

Open 7 days per week

t It' I

of the litIC5r Rude itittipokut

tit rill

Currently on demonstration: Advantge. AEON. Audiophile Base. Audica, AVI, BAT Boulder, Clearaude Cymn, FOC2, Hovland. JMIab. Gamut. Licking. Gradient. Grado. Graham Slee. Graves

Linn C3ssk, Lumley, Loewe, Merle Cables, Mission, Music Maker, Music Toes Nothrigham Analogue. Optimum. lure. Rockport. Ouadrasore Stello & \fin:e-

30 High Street 01634 880037

Rochester [email protected]

Kent 14E1 1LD

SOLID SILVER Upgrade your equipment with superior wiring:. Annealed > 99.99% Silver wire, PTFE insulated

0.25mm at £ 12/m or 0.037nun at £ 15/m P&P @ £2 per order

CSS, 12 Willow Walk, Cambridge, CBI ILA wv‘w.silverwire.demon,co.uk Tel:01223 501833

UK Wide

MADISOU ND PROVIDES SPEAKER

BUILDERS WITH THE HIGHEST QUALITY

PARTS AND ADVICE.

e .1/.8CP. 01.8 eq. Nil vole

El= "'.•..^Z. T.eaw

seas Solen Inductors

111M -411 à Solen Fast Caps

eee NeeNSkaaning % re/ Loudspeakers

DIEFLIEM ACOUSTIC PANELS

Fo_stex

morel`

_ fttritSS-

Virà C

N iÉDOST LPG

Beig ETON scan-speaK

I

MADISOUND SPEAKER COMPONENTS. INC 8608 UNIVERSITY GREEN

PO BOX 44283

MADISON, WI 53744-4283 U SA. TEL 608-831-3433 FAX 608-831-3771

e-mail' into@madisound corn 'Web Page' http iwww madisound cum

I V.1 A V INTERNATIONAL LTD

AVIS NEW LABORATORY SERIES HIFI CHOICE "EDITORS CHOICE"

"PRODUCT OF THE YEAR" What HiFi 5 star and best buy

To find out more quickly

www.avihifi.com

TEL:01453 752656

A QUESTION FOR

MARTIN LOGAN

OWNERS:

Bearing in mind the marvellous sound quality from these incredible

speakers, what would you do if you wanted the same clarity

and imaging, but your new room is to small - or the family and neighbours

won't let you play as loud as you'd like, or something else like that?

Simply phone

020 8447 8485 wwvv. hifinews.co.uk Iii-FiNews JUNE 2005 121

MANI HAFtIRISC.ISI 11111F1 Absolute Analogue® It is trot necessary to have great hi-fi equipment in order to listen to music

at home...

Reference 3A Dulcet

(11"1111In• , ,

.e51e6s'e otTees 1

Aurum Cantus Leisure 3SE

Nordic'Come; Artist with

turntable *-: . air-heuti,'

• tonearin

...but it help,.

Get it right! IN) Ros 30429, London. tiN 6 76N Tel / Fax: +44 (0)20 8459 8113

Absolule_Analogue'a emailansn.com

s. ww.atv.oluiranatogue.co.uk

HIFI AT DISCOUNT PRICES. FREE NATIONWIDE DELIVERY

NEW 'YEAR SALE MICHELL ORBE MICHELL ORBE SE MICHELL GYRODEC MICHELL GYRO SE TECNO ARM -A" DENON DL304 SHURE VI 5VXMR TRANSFIGURAllON SPIRIT 3 TRANSFIGURATION ARIA TRANSFIGURATION TEMPER V TRANSFIGURATION TEMPER VI/ KOETSU BLACK £800 KOETSU RED T £1300 CLEARAUDIO CHAMPION LEVEL 2 £ 1700 CLEARAUDIO CHAMPION £700 GRAHAM TONEARMS £P0A RESON LEXE £1050 DECCA SUPER GOLD + POD £475

£2050 £1800 £1000 £800 f340 £175 £270 £800 £585

£1900 £1900

TRICHORD DINO TRICHORD DELPHINI TRICHORD DINO/DINO+ WHEST AUDIO GRAHAM SLEE JAN ALLAERTS ZYX VAN DEN HUL GRADO RS1

£250 POA £425 POA POA POA POA POA £625

SUMIKO BLACKBIRD £490 SUMIKO BPS EVO III £190 SUMIKO PEARWOOD SIGNATURE £845 KOETSU RED K SIGNATURE £1975 KOETSU THE SIGNATURE £3300 TOM EVANS GROOVE £1500 TOM EVANS VIBE £2200 TOM EVANS MICROGROOVE £350 TOM EVANS MICROGROOVE+ £625

PLEASE PHONE TO CONFIRM PRICE & AVAILABILITY PRIOR TO ORDERING. ALL GOODS ARE BRAND NEW .1. BOXED WITH FULL U.K GUARANTEES. NO EX.DEM OR EX-DISPLAY GOODS. NO GREY IMPORTS.

GOODS ARE NOT SUPPLIED ON APPROVAL. SORRY. NO GENERAL CATALOGUES. PLEASE PHONE OR WRITE FOR SPECIFIC REVIEWS, BROCHURES OR PRICES,

ESTABLISHED 1986

MAIL ORDER ONLY FROM; IAN HARRISON, 7 MILL HILL, REPTON, DERBY, 0E65 6GO TEL: 01283 702875 9am-9pm INCLUDING SUNDAYS.

Dynavector's SuperStereo The only multi-channel for music lovers and audiophiles.

Simply add 2 small sub-speakers to your system fed by a Dynavector SuperStereo Adapter.

"Superb" Hi-Fi World "Produces astonishing results" Hi-Fi +

"Extraordinarily convincing" Hi-Fi Choice Make the most of LP's, CD's, SACD's & DVD's with an Adp-2 (£895) or Adp-3 (£ 1,495).

Info & sales direct from: Dynavector SuperStereo

Tel/fax: 44 + (0)1202) 767873. E-mail: [email protected]

Web: http://web.onetel.com/—dynavector

MANTRA AUDIO TEL/FAX 01757 288652 MAIL ORDER HI FI ACCESSORIES www.mantra-audio.co.uk

GRADO HEADPHONE SPECIAL OFFERS

Prestige SR-60 £75

SR-80 £90

SR-125 £140

SR-225 £175

SR-325 £265

Reference RS-1 £635

RS-2 £450

QED SWITCHING AND CONTROL UNITS

Full range of QED Switch Boxes. Cables & Interconnects available

See website for details.

CARTRIDGES STYLUS

Delon DL 110 £79

DL 160 £95

DL 304 £210

Grado Prestige Black £40

Prestige Gold £110

Shure M97 XE £98

V 15 V xMR £304

V 15 V MR N/A

V 15 Ill MR N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

£27

£73

£58 Sumiko £213

£158

£112

CARTRIDGES

Audio

Technica

Goldring

EXCHANGE STYLUS

AT 110E

AT OC 9 ML

1006

1012 GX

1022 GX

1042

Eroica LX/H

Elite

Ortofon 510

MC 15 Super il

MC 25 FL

MC 10 Supreme

MC 30 Supreme

Kontrapunkt a

Kontrapunkt h

Kontrapunkt b

Kontrapunkt c

Rohmann

Blue Point Special

£28

£330

£76

£95

£124

£1L3

£1'33

£222

£24

£130

£227

£304

£452

£412

£530

£643

£824

£837

£265

N/A

£295

£62

£76

£100

£114

£109

£190

N/A

£110

£193

£258

£385

£351

£451

£548

£700

£742

£237

EX

GEX

GEX

GEX

GEX

GEX

GEX

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX

EX

£17

N/A

£52

£67

£86

£100

N/A

N/A

£22

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

EX - Exchange price for MC from above companies GEX - Exchange price against any cartridge type

Over 500 replacement styli types stocked

MAIL ORDER ( 1-10 DAYS) PRICES INC P&P ADD £5 EUROPE

AND UP TO £15 WORLDWIDE FOR ORDERS OVER £50

MANTRA AUDIO (HFN), 22 GARTH AVENUE, NORTH DUFFIELD,

SELBY, NORTH YORKS YO8 5RP Acc..e+1

You just ca et any conventional speaker to presem the essence of music like your QUAD lectrostatics do — but your partner d nt like the look of them, or you ca ' play at the volume

you'd like at nigh r they won't matd • your new d

"Lockwood Audto VINTAGE GEAR AND RECORDS

FOR SALE AND WANTED

Spares and repairs

See the TAMMY Cones

Hotline at

www.lockwoodaudio.co.uk

Call for appointment to visit us at Ruislip on

+44(0) 20 8864 8008

do or Fax + 44(0) 20 8864 3064

mail: saleselockwoodaudio.co.uk

122 JUNE 2005 HI-FINews wwv, hifinews.co.uk

The Hi-Fi Company's

Trading Station

The leading reseller of carefully used

and mint condition hi-fi components

and systems.

Buy, sell, exchange. Commission Sales.

www.hifitradingstation.corn

The Trading Station 35Cowgate Peterborough PEI 11/

Tel: 0870 608 8211

ernuil: [email protected]

BUSINESS HOURS: Tues - Sat: 10am - 5.30pm - CLOSED MONDAYS ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED•NEXT DAY DELIVERY AVAILABLKOMPETITIVE FINANCE TERMS FOR PERSONAL CALLERS

BUY NOW PAY IN 2006

PLEASE EMAIL FOR DETAILS

QUALITY HI-FI WANTED

Cosh - Trade-in - Commission Sales

• Vinyl ACOUSTIC Research EB101 AUDIO RESEARCH PH? Phono Llago DUAL CS505-1 Silver E.A.R. 834P MI11/114 valve Phono Stage EXPRESSIVE TECHNO(OGIES Phono trans GARRAAD 401 (No Any) GARRARD 401/ LAE 3001Shure M9SED GOLI/MUND Studietto.15 Arm GOLDMUND Studio/T3F Arm/P1.8 Servo KOETSU Black ( Re.tipped) LINN Axis ! Mato / K9 LINN Bulk Turntable LINN look II Block LINN 1112 Mr 1 Lingo ! AkIto Ea-Doran LINWOOD 'Equalizer' Phono Stage LAYMAN PD282 Rosewood MANTICORE Mantra MOO ' NPR MICHELL GYRO SE / OC i 03250 (origin) MICHELL GYRO SE (No Ans) Ex.>. ORACLE Akaandria ROCKPORT Cabello II 1 No Arm ROKSAN )(no. jMorph Arta !AT 005 SHUN MOOR Retord Clamp 50030 ' V Aim Micro Bent Re/ Curt SKIE 10A Ex- Demo SME 20 1A E o- De roo SUMIKO Blue Point Special DIAPERS TD318 Omolon OMIO THORINS TD150 Rare THARENS ID165! Shure VI 5 III THARENS TD280 Mk II WILSON BENESCH Full Circle Ex-Derso

• Digital Sources

ARUM Alpha 6 CD Player ARUM Alpha 7 CD Player ARUM Alpha ROD Player ARUM Alpha One CD Player ARUM Block Box SO / Delta 250£ AUDIO NOTE CDT-Two Transport AUDIO NOTE DAC-4 Signature AUDIO NOTE DAC-3 AUDIOLAB 8000 (DM AUDIOLAB 8000541 AUDIO RESEARCH CD? AUDIO RESEARCH DAC•5 Ex-Demo AU! S2000CD Ref CYRUS Dad30 CD Player CYRUS DVD6 DAD Player DCS Purcell Upsampler DONAN DCDS-10 II DENSON Beat 400 E.A.D. £8000 ID CD Troresport

Retail Wet £275 £ 148

f2,I99 £795 £150 LOS £715 E498

£1,500 £398 L400 £248 £750 £395

£4,000 £ 1,498 £10,000 £2,998 £1200 £595 (/90 f335 £600 £205 £800 £390

(2,900 £ 1,994 £250 £95 (SSS £310 f 895 £288

£1,900 £ 1,298 E/065 £876 (LUSO £495

£10,000 £3,996 £2,000 £798 £1,000 £396

£16,500 £9,298 13,581 £2,954 £5,537 £4,568 £249 £175 £375 £ 148 £300 £145 £300 E128 L350 £115

£2,000 £ 1,496

Retail Offer £329 £ 145 L349 £145 £450 £185 £300 £ 115

(1,195 £525 £2,200 £998 f 10,000 £5,748 £2,100 £ 1,125 £1200 £598 £1,000 £521 £3750 £2255 f2.335 £ 1,797 £900 £378 £895 £375

£1,000 £595 £4,500 £ 1,715 £1,300 £528 £2,200 ( 1496 £3,900 £698

EPOSURE CD Player (999 KINSHAW Perception DAC £1,000 KRELL K. 25 ( 24 bit) CD Plcryer £24,998 KRELL Ilps 28, CD Player Ea-Doran £8,998 LINN Kau. CD Player £1,850 LINN Nunerik DA( £ L500 LINN Numerik Korik Transpon £3,350 LINN Ikemi CD Player Ea-Demo £2,200 LINN Unidek 2.1 Universal Player Ex.Derso £4,500 MARANTZ CD 1 7 CD Player £895 MARANT2 CDS2 SE CD Player £250 MARANTZ CD67 SI CD Player £375 MARANTI CD85 CD Player £450 MERIDIAN 200 CD Player £895 MERIDIAN 207 CD Player £700 MERIDIAN 596 OVO A Player £2,500 MERIDIAN 506 ( 18 bit) CD Ployer £1,290 MERIDIAN 602 £1,500 MICROMEGA DUD DAC £499 MICROMEGA Stage 2 L600 MICROMEGA Hoge 3 £750 MICROMEGA 1-DAC f 1,000 MUSICAL FIDELI1Y E60 CD Player £300 HAIM CDS £1195 HAIM CDI CD Player £1,999 RAIN CDS/CDPS £5,000 PERPETUAL TECHNOLOGIES P-34 DAC Ea-clemo £795 PHILIPS DVD1010 £650 FINK TRIANGLE Da Capo DAC, PS. £2,000 FIONEER PAR 04 CD Recorder £1,000 PIONEER OVO-1000 Rol DVD Recorder Ea-Dorso £ 1,299 PIONEER DVR-3100 DID Recorder Ea-Doran £450 QUAD 66 CD Player REGA Jupiter CD Player Ea-Demo ROTEL RCD 1070 CD Player ROTH RCD 965 CD Player ROTEL RCD 991 CD Player SONY (DP 970 CD Player SONY DSP-NO 905V OVO Player SONY j AUDIO SYNTHESIS Transcend Trans SONY NS900V SONY SCDX940 SACD Player SONY OA-3338S SACD Player IEAC P.500 CD Transport (Gold) TIM VRDSIO CD Player THETA Carmen DVD/CD Player THETA Data Bask 2 Transport THETA DSP Pro.Gen V DAC THETA Progency DAC TR1CHORD Pulsar Series I DAC WAD1A WT3200 Transpon WOODSIDE 1952 CD Player

£800 (915 f495 £400 £799 f495 £250

£1,000 £450 £290

£1,150 £500 f700

£4,000 £1,800 £3,800 £1,396 £1,900 £4000 f 1,000

• Amplifiers solid state

41 LABORATORY Model 4706 In/ ADVANTAGE 6300 Power Amp ARCAKI A85 Int. Any ARUN Alpha 6 Plus Int. Amp ARCAM Alpha AV50 Amp ARCAM Delta 290 ARUM Della 290p ARCAP4 FMI 022 Dane Modulo

Retail Offer £3,000 £ 1,698 £1,619 £ 1,495 £495 £295 f350 £ 115 £700 £145 £450 £ 145 £450 £145

CORSO £675

£345 ARCAM Diva 690 Ex-Demo £378 AUDIO ANALOGUE Bellini Pre

£8.996 AUDIO ANALOGUE Donlaettl £5,996 AUDIOLAB 8000A £896 AUDIOLAB 000003 Power £196 AUDIOLAB 8000C Pre f 1,726 AUDIOLAB 000000 Power £1,224 AV1 S2000M Pre £2,744 BOW TECHNOLOGIES Wan. XL In! £395 BURMEISTER 850 Mono blocks (SS CHORD CPA 1800 Pre Amplilier

£148 CHORD SPAIIDOO Power ( black) £195 CHORD SPM 1200 Power Amp £226 CYRUS Two Integrated £225 CfRUS 5 Integrated

£1,296 CYRUS Pre-a £495 DNM Pre r- 3 PSU £525 DNM Pre 21 PAI Pre & Power £146 ELECTOR MIL Pre-Amplifier £296 EXPOSURE 19 Pre-Amplilier £298 KRELL KAVISOA £375 KRELL KCT Pre-Amplifier Ea-Doran £165 LINN 2250 Sob Power Ex-Demo £798 LINN AYO IR? AV PreiPrommor Ex-Demo £595 LINN Classic 'Moyle' AVRec Ea-Denao

£1,998 LINN Wakonda Pre-Amp Ea-Demo £596 LINN Kai. Pre-Amplifier f 248 LINN LK100 Power £596 LINN U(180 Sparks PS. £396 IMINTOSH MA6900 £596 McINTOSH MC7108 Ro 50 wan Power Ea-Forro £394 MARANTZ P6111 Integrated (blk) £396 MARANTZ PM4200 Integrated £694 NAURU PM66SE K1 Sig. £195 MARK LEVINSON 331 Power £145 McINTOSH MCI201 ( 1200 wan Mono's) £296 McINTOSH C200 (2 boa Pre) 0148 MERIDIAN 551 Iniegrated £95 MERIDIAN SSS Stereo Pour

£336 MERIDIAN 56242 AV Pre £228 MERIDIAN 568 AV Digital Processor £145 MERIDIAN 603 Pre Amplifier £595 MICHELL Argo Pre Amplifier £115 MICHELL Argo Elutro Mono's £346 MICROMEGA Tempo I Integrated

£1,126 MUSE Monoblocks (300 warts) £648 MUSICAL FIDELITY Ell Integrated

£1,298 MUSICAL FIDELITY 38 Pre Amp £676 MUSICAL FIDELITY £ 10 Integrated £748 MUSICAL FIDELITY ' THE' Pre Amp £796 NAIM 42 Pre Amplifier £298 NIUM Hi-Cap

NMM NAC-102 Pre Amplifier NAM NAP- I80 Power Ampldier OPERA Aida Integrated PlINIUS 9200 Integrated QUAD 303 Power QUAD 33 Pre Amplifier QUAD 34 Pie Amplifier RED ROSE ' Spirit' Integrated ROGERS Roverobrook Integrated ROKSAN (aspic. DSP AV Pte ROTEL RA920 AX Integrated ROTEL 83820 Integrated REGA Curia Pre Amplifier Ea-Domo SONY VA.33315 AV Ampliher SPHINX %Mot 11 mono's SPHINX Project 2 Pre Amplifier

£850 £684 £595 f265 £650 £346 £ 600 f 290 £600 £345 £600 L185 £650 £228

£1,000 £498 £2,500 £ 1,496 (2,000 £990 £2500 £ 1798 £2,000 £898 IMO £1798 £275 £95 CORO £395

51,000 £445 £2,000 £378 £2,800 £678 £500 £118 £950 £298 £2200 £ 1398 (9,998 £6,996 £1,950 £ 1,194 £4,285 f 1,994 £2,000 £ 1,296 £995 L494

£1,750 £896 f 700 U85

£1,100 £528 £4999 £3156 £2,449 £ 1,496 £995 £525 £195 £95 £795 £95

£5,000 £2,295 £15,000 £8,018 £1,995 £3,998 £195 £596 £895 £596

£1,295 £596 £3,700 £ 1,296 £1,500 /525 £575 £195

£2,490 £ 1,126 £600 £245

£4,000 £ 1,918 £350 £118 f 1,300 £155 £300 £118 £350 £75 £400 £95 £750 045

£1,100 £595 £1,100 £595 £795 £445

£2,500 £ 1,596 £250 £ 126 £175 £15 £395 £198

£1,295 £896 £150 £55 MO £418 £800 £55 £150 £45 £545 £344 £799 £375

£3,000 £ 1,128 £1,600 £598

TAG McCLAREN F3 Prozor Amplifier TALK ELECTRONICS ' Rom' Int TESSERA( Pre Amplifier

• Amplifiers valve ART AUDIO Symphony C Border Prowl PI AUDIO INNOVATIONS Series 800 Mono's AUDIO INNOVATIONS S800 Power AUDIO RESEARCH Classic 60 Power AUDIO RESEARCH LS15 AUDIO RESEARCH LOIS Pre-Arup AUDIO RESEARCH LS16 AUDIO RESEARCH 914 AUDIO RESEARCH SPIS (2 boa) Pre AUDIO RESEARCH VSI 10 Ea Derso AUDIO RESEARCH VSSS Ea Demo AUDIO RESEARCH VT100 Mk 1 Power AUDIO RESEARCH VT20012 Power Ea-Doran AUDIO RESEARCH VT60 Power AUDIO RESEARCH Ref 2 Pre Ex-Derso AUDION Sterling 30013 let. LUDION Sterling 6550 Int. BEARD 101 - 100 won Mono's BEARD 138100 Integrated CONRAD JOHNSON Punier 78 Dual Mono Pre CONRAD JOHNSON Premier 811 Mono's CONRAD JOHNSON PVIOAL Pre CONRAD JOHNSON PV11 Pre CONRAD JOHNSON PVI2L Pre COPLAND (TA401 Integrated COPLAND (TA301 Pre-Ampliller HOVLAND HP100,MC Phono Pre ICON AUDIO MC 34.A JADIS Only 7 Power Amp LAMM 112 MANLEY Ref VIL 275 watt mono's McINTOSH MC2000 (Anniursay LE.) McINTOSH MC220 Pre-Amplifier NAGRA PIP Pre-Anplifier Ea-Derso PAPWORTH NASD Power PATHOS Twin Tosser Int. QUAD Concordant Mono's TRILOGY VII Integraied UNISON Unico Integrated UNISON Smart 3008 Mono's

• Tuner Tape misc

ARCAM DARIO Digital Tuner ARCAM Diva 160 FM/AN tuner AUDIOLAB 80001 Tuner CfRUS Tuner ISOTEK Substaiion (mains unit) LOWTHER PAI2C Drive Units LUXMAN 50 Tuner LUXMAN SISO Tuner M.1.1 2 bib-wire 10' pair NUM Nail OS NAKAMICH1 00125E NAKAMICHI DR3

Retail Offer £3,S00 ( 1,598 £1,100 £448 £1,200 f518 £3,300 £ 1,346 £3000 f 1498 £3,000 £ 1,498 £3000 £ 1195 13000 £ 1498 £6,000 £ 1,198 £3999 f2996 £2699 £ 2026 £5,500 £2,246

L11,982 £8,587 £1645 £ 1495

£10,500 £ 7,297 £1,200 L816 £850 f298

£3,600 £ 1,198 f1,200 £525

£10,000 £5,298 £16,000 £6,996 £1,400 ( SOS £1,950 £ 148 £2,000 L1,195 £1,695 £595 £1,150 £598 £5,700 ( 2,626 £900 £445

£4,790 £ 1,875 £4,000 £ 1,998 £6,000 £2,698

£12,500 £9.998 £5,500 £2,698 £6,990 £4,996 £2,000 £748 £3250 f2128 £600 £378

£2,500 £ 1,048 £900 £525

£4,200 f2,245

Rebel Ofler £800 £295 £130 £ 164 £1000 £598 £500 £ 148 £600 £396 £400 £ 175 £600 0195 £900 £295

£1,000 £498 £825 £498 0400 £ 178 £600 £228

£1,500 £ 488 NORDOST SPM Snr labure £650 £385 NYTECH CIA 206 (rare classic)

£1,500 E378 PIONEER F656 oar/Ira Tuner PURIST AUDIO Dominm SE Hs liC REVOX All 10" reel to reel REVOX ' S' Serres system SONLIS FABER 'monewood' stands SONY 0800 AV System Inal speoken STANDS UNIQUE 'Ref' 5 shelf suppori STAX 3030 Boslc electrostatic phones STAX Omega electrostatic phones TRANSPARENT Music Wave br-wire 18h TRANSPARENT 'Ref' ( 0.75m) Speaker TRANSPARENT 'Ref' la SE ( In) TRANSPARENT 'Rel'10. SE (Irs TEA( A33405 4 track ir reel to reel TEA( 007/reel to reel

o o

• Loudspeakers

ACOUSTAT Sped. 1100 AR1STON ONE Monitors ATC 50010 AUDIO-STATIC DC1 (White) AUDIO-STATIC 10300 AUDIOPLAN Kontrast II /NIEL ACOUSTICS Model (Ks Rosewood RAW P4 W P6

BKS AUDIO 10711 (ELISIION SL600 CHORD L535/12A CYRIJS CLS 50 incl. stands DOM Time Windows (collectors Items) DYNAUDIO 3.3 (Rouwood) ENSEMBLE Prima Donna GAMMA ACOUSTICS Epoch 5 HEYBROOK 'Halm' HEYBROOK Hemlock IMPULSE H7 (horn-loaded) MO Concert II JPW AP? /R 1po Subaru'. ( rare) KEF Cube (EC1 boa) REP Model 3 KIF 035 REF 055 KIF Ref Model 1.2 KIF 801 Ea-Dono KIF X01 stanch KIF 005 KRELL Resolution 2 Ea Demo

£4,500 £2,996 £300 £98 £250 £75

£4,000 £2,469 £750 £288

£1,550 £69S £480 £195 £900 f446

£1,000 £398 ÉS50 £286

£2,000 £996 £1,100 £350 £2,250 £ 1,495 £3,915 £ 1,125 £4,611 £2,155 f900 f195 £150 £ 195

Retail Offer (1,000 E438 £1,200 £275 £950 £528

f3,500 £ 1,498 f 1,500 £375 £3,000 £746 £5,679 £2,996 £700 £25S

£1,000 £115 £1,150 £745 £3000 £ 1498 f 1,995 £ 1,088 £500 f288 £600 £ 185

£4,500 £ 2,598 £10,000 £2,246 £3,000 £375 £450 (208 £500 £146

£1,200 £338 £2,250 £178 £295 f95 £500 £218 L700 £ 145

£2,995 £ 1,696 £350 £ 198 0500 £296

£1,500 £678 £999 £644 £299 £ 184

£1,999 f 1.294 f 6497 04876

KRILL Resolution 3 Ex Demo KRELL Resolution Centre Ea Demo LEAK Mini Sandwich LINN Kober LINN Caber Maly X our LINN Kellidh ANN Ekwell (cenee) Ea-Dono LINN Espek Ea-Doran LINN Espek stds Ea-Doran LINN Sirmik 10.25 LOCKWOOD Studio 15 McINTOSH LS310 Ea Demo McINTOSH LS340 Ea Demo MAGNA PLANAR 1, lop MAGNA PLANAR 2.5 MARTIN LOSAN Maus 1 MARTIN LOGAN CLSII MERIDIAN DSP33C Dig rentre Ex-Demo MERIDIAN DSP5000C Dig. Centre MERIDIAN DSP7000 Silver Ex Demo MONITOR AUDIO Silver 5 MISSION 771 MISSION 714 MISSION /81 MONITOR AUDIO R6S2ND MONITOR AUDIO Studio 14 MONITOR AUDIO Studio 20 MONITOR AUDIO Studio 50 MONITOR AUDIO Studio 12 MORDAUNT SHORT 401 MORDAUNT SHORT Avant 5.1 MOREL Bass Masten MUSE IS 15" Mere Sub PINK TRIANGLE Ventrical PROAC Studio I PROAC Super Towers PROAC Tobleee 2000 QUAD OIL RIGA Naos REL Stadium Sub REL Strata Sub REVOX Elegance bookshelf ROARK Equinox RUARK Sceptre SNELL ACOUSTICS III SONOS FABER Aisne AIMS FABER Concerto SONOS FABER Grand Plano (81k) SOUNDLAB Al (lull range) SPENDOR 08 Cherry Ea-Demo SPENDOR SP2/2 TANNOY Buckingham TANNOY DC2000 TANNIN' Edinburgh TANNAI 1125 TANNAI £225 IDL Nucleon II TAL Studio 1 TOWNSEND RIBBON TRIANGLE Imam TRIANGLE Cello, Ea-Derso TRIANGLE Titus 202 WILSON BENISON Arcistds WILSON BENESCH Orator Ex•Derso WILSON Sophia YAMAHA NSIOOM ZINGALI Colosseum subrsats

£3200 £2406 £2980 £2236 £100 £18

£2,500 £748 £1,000 £378 £1,000 £288 £795 £454

£2,500 £ 1,424 £199 £94 £995 £554

£1,500 £678 £1790 £996 £4590 £2496 £1,400 £445 £2,950 £788 £2,100 £ 1,125 £6,700 £2,245 f 1,425 £ 1,144 £1,990 f1,344 f 17350 £ 13996 £450 £274 f350 £ 145 £500 £255 £250 £98 £500 £ 148 £900 £226

£2,500 £ 1,125 £4,000 £ 1,495 £1,200 £446 L650 £225

£1,150 £698 £1,600 £445 £5,000 ( 1,998 £1,500 £356 (/95 £376

(1,000 (445 £649 £375 £695 £436 £998 £594 £100 £395 L500 £295 LOSO £286

£2,100 £695 £700 £228 £700 £ 198

£11800 £8996 f995 £596

£1,699 £ 1,098 £13,500 £6,668 £1,700 £ 1,190 £900 £298

(5,000 £ 1,875 £200 £75

£4,000 £ 2,666 £295 ( Ill f395 £ 165 £130 £75

£1,000 £290 £1,295 £495 £1,500 £255 £1,095 £896 £345 £276

£2,600 £ 1,698 £3,000 £ 1,724

£11,950 £9,596 f.300 £ 125 £770 £428

THE MIDLANDS BEST USED EQUIPMENT SPECIALIST

TEUFAX

0121 747 4246

QUALITY USED

EQUIPMENT.

BOUGHT. SOLD,

PART EXCHANGED

Also agents for Advantage • Acoustic Zen

• B A T • Boulder • Hovland

Kharma • Lumley • Pass labs

• SME • Sound lab

CURRENT INVENTORY

AUDIOLAB CDM TRANSPORT AUDIOLAB DAX DAC AUDIO RESEARCH LS7 AUDIO RESEARCH V70 AUDIO RESEARCH D130 AUDIO SYNTHESIS DESIRE DECADE BLACK GATES BAT 51SE PRE 6 MTHS OLD BAT VKD5SE CD BOULDER 1012 PRE DAC EX DEM BOULDER 1010 PRE EX DEM BOULDER 1060 POWER EX DEM BRYSTON BP25 PRE CHORD CPM3300 SILVER WITH LEGS DCS DELIUS FIRE WIRE DENSEN BX340 NEW DENSEN B200 NEW EAR V20 GRYPHON ADAGIO CD PLAYER HOVLAND SAPPHIRE KRELL KRC-HR KPE PHONO 7639 LFD MISTRAL SILVER SIGNATURE INTEGRATED 950 LINN ISOBARIKS PMS BLACK +PANEL STANDS sin 6987/8 N/A LINN ARKIV s/n 006242 1200 LUXMAN K-351 CASSETTE DECK N/A MARANTZ SC12SI SACD DVD CD 3500 MARK LEVINSON 383 INTEGRATED AMP 6500 MARK LEVINSON 390S CD 5500 MARTIN LOGAN ASCENT I 4333 MERIDIAN 562V 1300 MERIDIAN DSP500C 24/96 BLACK 2000 NAIM 552 s/n 187847/187065 12800 NAIM 500 s/n 179450/177734 12800 NAIM NBL BEECH s/n 159946 7500 NAIM PREFIX K s/n 165500 500 NAIM CDS MK1 SERVICED s/n 78204/03 4000 NAIM SBL BLACK s/n 097689 2700 NAIM ARMAGEDDON s/n 135075 800 NAIM 1X0 s/n156340 500 NAIM 102 s/n 151705 1210 NAIM PSC s/n 149492 195 NAIM HICAP OLIVE s/n 89220 750 NAIM 01 TUNER s/n 128137 N/A NAIM CDS11 HEAD UNIT s/n 148771 3995 NAIM SNAXO 3-6 S/n 187399 829 NAIM NAXO 2-4 s/n 86414 N/A NAIM 250 OLIVE SERVICED 1900 NAIM 112 s/n 194921 660 NORDOST SPM 0.6 MTR XLR 800 NORDOST RED DAWN 55 MTR XLR 1000 PLINIUS CD LAD PRE 2400 SONUS FABER ELECTA AMATOR MK1 IRONWOOD STANDS N/A 1295 SPECTRAL MIT 350 MK11 I MTR RCA 1500 695 TANNOY DIMENSION 8 4000 2495 TARA LABS DECADE 2MTR BALANCED 2300 395 TARA LABS RSC PRIME 1MTR XLR 250 150 T AND A TALUS 5.1 NEW UNUSED 2200 1295 VPI TNT HRX NEW 9250 5995 VPI SUPER SCOUTMASTER NEW 4750 2995 VERITY AUDIO FIDELIO PIANO BLACK 8000 3995 WADIA 861SE SILVER 6 MTHS OLD 10400 6995 WADIA 270SE , 271X NEW UNUSED 19000 11995

PLEASE CALL TONY WHEN YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR EQUIPMENT I WILL COLLECT AND PAY UP FRONT NO MESSING ABOUT WITH COMMISSION SALES.

I AM ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THE FOLLOWING.

KRELL • AUDIO RESEARCH • MARK LEVINSON • NAIM AUDIO • LINN MERIDIAN • QUAD • AUDIOLAB • WADIA • ACCUPHASE • TAG • CARY THETA • SONUS FABER • MARTIN LOGAN • COPLAND • CHORD

EAR YOSHINO • DNM • NAKAMICHI • KOETSU • XL0 • MICHELL • SME ATC • STAX • PROAC • MANA • JEFF ROWLAND • DCS • NAGRA

McINTOSH • ORACLE • ROKSAN . TRANSPARENT • DYNAUDIO • Etc

RRP 2000 1500 1400 4500 2000 3750 7950 5495 12950 9450 16500 1500 6500 6500 1850 1000 3500 5000 7000

Tel: 0121 747 4246 5 MINUTES JCN 9 M42/JCN 4 M6.

NOW 595 395 595 1495 995 1995 3995 2695 7995 6495 9995 795

3495 3495 1195 65C, 1795 2495 3495 2995 495 395 395 150

1295 3295 3495 2795 295 1195 7995 7995 3995 250 1195 795 450 250 495 95

395 1495 1795 495 295 895 345 395 495 895

Open Mon-Sun 10.00 to 8.00

Website: www.centralaudio.co.uk E-mail: [email protected]

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JUST ARRIVED

ACCUPHASE DP7OV CD PLAYER £1,400 AUDIO NOTE M 1 PREAMP £300 AUDIO RESEARCH LS2B PREAMP £850 AUDIO ESEAR.CH D I 15 POVVERAMP £895 AUDIO NOTE AN-SPX 2.7 METRE SPEAKER CABLE £895 CLASSE CAV 150 6 CHANNEL POVVERAMP £1,500 EAR 549 MONOBLOCKS £2,750 GAMUT CD2 £1,500 tEFF ROWLAND COHERENCE PREAMP EFF ROWLAND CONCENTRA MK2[BOXED AS NEW £3,500 INN SONDEK LP12/ITTOK/ASAK £4,995 £625 NORDOSTIMETRE VALHALLA DIGITAL INTERC £800 SONUS FABER MUSICA INTERGRATED AMP £1,500 TOVVNSHEND ELITE ROCK/EXCALIBER/MERLIN £900 PSU/PLINTH/LID TUBE TECHNOLOGY GENESIS MONOBLOCKS

£6,000 £700

£2,750 £N/A

£2,500 £3,600 £9,000 £3.000

£14.000 £7,500 e_N/A

£1,400 £2,995 £N/A

£1,600 £4.500

AMPHION XENON SPEAKERS[AS NEW] £1,8011, AUDIO RESEARCH CLASSIC 120 MONOBLOCKS £2,1#001-AUDIO RESEARCH VTI50 MONOBLOCKS £2,995 AUDIO RESEARCH VT200 mk2 £5,995 AUDIO RESEARCH LS25 PRE £2,500 AUDIONOTE TT3 + SPLIT PHASE PSU £1,200 ALON MK4s , £ 1,200 BATVK 60 \E1.900 BATVK6200 POVVERAMP £2,200 CAT REFERENCE PRE £1,900 CARTRIDGEMAN MUSICMAKER CARTRIDGE £275 CONRAD OHNSON PREMIER 8A MONOS £7,995 CONRAD OHNSON I7LS MK2 PREAMP £2,750 CONRAD OHNSON PREMIER 10 PREAMP £995 CONRAD OHNSON PREMIER II £1,600 CONRAD OHNSON PV8 PREAMP £500 CROFT CI-ARISMA 3 PREAMP £1,500 DCS VERDI ELGAR/PURCELL[brand new sealed box] £ 12,995 EAR 509 fink I MONOBLOCKS EXPOSURE I 7[pre] I 8[monoblocks] AS NEW EXPOSURE SUPER 18 POVVERAMP EXPOSURE SUPER 21 PREAMP EXPOSURE SUPER 15 INTEGRATED GOERTZ AG3 DIVINITY SPKR CABLE 4metres X2 JEFF ROVVLAND SYNERGY PREAMP KEF REFERENCE 2s KEF 107 MK2s KHAMA CERAMIQUE CE3s LONDON SUPERGOLD S3 CARTRIDGE LINN SONDEK 1_12/ITTOK/KHARMA LINN SONDEK LPI2/BASIK PLUS LUMLEY ST7OVALVE POVVERAMP MARANTZ MA24 MONOBLOCKS MARK LEVINSON ML380 PREAMP MICHELL ALECTO MONOBLOCKS MUSICAL FIDELITY A370 MK2 MUSICAL FIDELITY DVD I NAIM NAP9O/NAC62K PRE/POWER NAIM NAIT 3 INTERGRATED PLINIUS ODEON S CHANNEL AMP QUAD ESL57s REFERENCE 3A DE CAPOS REFERENCE 3A ROYAL VIRTUOSOS REL Q200E SUB SONIC FRONTIERS CD' TRANSPORT SONUS FABER CONCERTO HOME[PIANO BLACK] SPENDOR LS3SA SPEAKERS[ IS OHM] TOM EVANS THE GROOVE PLUS TOM EVANSTHEVIBE/PULSE PSU TRANSPARENT ULTRA 6M PAIR WADIA 7&9 REFERENCE 4 BOX CD PLAYER VINCENT SV238[integrated amp 200 wpc] VTL 85 VALVE PCIVER AMP

£1,000 £350 £300 £295

£1,500 £1,900 £800 £995

£1,800 £300 £595 £450 £650

£1,200 £1,700 £895 £900 £850 £295 £325

£3,200 f400 £995

£2,200 £425

£2,950 £650 f550

£2,650 £3,250 £1,000 £6,500 £850 £850

£2.400 £8,000

£14,000 £12,000 £5,000

£2,000+ £3,500 £4,500 £4,750 £5.000 £575

£16,000 £5,300 £3,500 £3,750 £2,000 £2,500

£24,000 (N/A

£2.200 £800 £800 £800

£5;000 £5,500 £N/A LN/A

£5,000 £695 EN/A EN/A

£2,450 £2.800 £4,500 £2,000 £N/A

£1.500 £1,200 £N/A

£4,000 £N/A

£2,500 £4,400 £650

£7,000 £ I , 200 £N/A

£3.850 £4.800 £3.200

£23,000 £1,795 £1,850

AcouStic Zen I Audience I AudioValve Border Patrol I_ Boulder ¡ Cabbase I CAT CEC Clear Aucko I Gamut I Graham I Halcro I %viand

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+ a full range of sought after compact discs.

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Comprehensive 96 page full catalogue available at £ 1.50

Telephone 01493 651019

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Does This Seem Familiar?

0 0 0 Loud Too Loud Way too Loud

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www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk See the excellent reviews in Choice, Hi-Fi World,

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ClIOKING THE SOPRANO WITH YOUR CABLES?

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ADVANTAGE S-2 Pm-amp Dynamics with refinement. New E2750 As new £1,495

AUDIONET Amp 2 G2 Monoblocks

Distributed by Wilson Benesch, no need to guess why! Muscular, musical, refined. New £6000 As new £3,350

AUDIO RESEARCH LS2 Pm-amp Affordable high-end, full service, new valves. Nice £695

AUDIOSTATIC Loudspeakers Rill range, no-compromise electrostatic elegance. Indulge yourself in unadulterated music! (E5,000) Mint £3,695

BAT VK-5 1 SE Pre-amp Fantastic musical insights, especially with the new VK-150SE power amps. Words simply aren't enough! Bought new in late 2004 Now £3,995

BAT VK-150 Valve monoblock power-amps Authority with subtlety, a giant leap for the high end. Bought new in late summer 2004, and absolutely unblemished. Were £15,500 Now £8,995

BRYSTON 4B ST Power Amp Unblemished silver. 250 wpc. Fabulous. £1,395

CANARY 300B Monoblocks

Superb amplifiers with new EH 300B's. Only £1,295

CARDAS Golden Reference 1 Mtr Astonishing. RCA and XLR in stock. Only £595

CONRAD JOHNSON PV-10BL Pre Amp Latest version of this class leading valve hybrid classic. Display model, boxed. List £ 1295 Mint £895

CONRAD JOHNSON PV-14L Pre Amp Rally remote controlled and you could be toe fast owner. UK model, mint and boxed. Was £2250. Now £1,395

CONRAD JOHNSON Premier 17LS-2 Pre Be the first owner of one of the world's finest pre-amps. UK model. Boxed as new. Was £5000. Now £2,995

ELECTRO-HARMONDC 300B Valves A brand new factory matched pair of out put valves. Gold grid, superb in all respects. New, boxed: £123

HORNING Agathon Loudspeakers On pienolls <kviver,tration because I won't part with mine! Visit - iiiirrhybrid.corn

LAVARDIN IT Integrated Amp lbegiant k dinplyùxemparableat its price 'Ma

LINN SONDEK LP12 Three in stock Wth/without amis, various specs topconditior. Rom £495

LUMLEY Reference Stereo Power amp Magic! Authoritatively musical. Amazing for £,1495

MUSICAL FIDELITY A3 Pre & Power Amps Mint, bcixed, virtually unused, guaranteed. Only £895

NORDOST Valhalla imtr RCA A legend in its own length. Great saving at £1,295

ORELLE SP100 Evo 2 Power Amp Solid state, 'valve-like' midrange. Was £1300. Now £695

PAP WORTH M200 Monoblocks

A quality and style statement of British high-end valve muskality. Based as new Ware £4895. Like new £3,250

QUICKSILVER 'Mono' Monoblocks Deliciously fluid 60 wpc with superb (mud. £995

TOWNSHEND Super Tweeters It's like giving your speakers pure oxygen. MUD

USHER Pre 303 Pre amp High-end with tone controls? Believe it! So nice £395

USHER R 1.5 Power amp Awesome, 150wpc Class A. Usher products regularly

win ' Best sound in show' - check the web. Only £995

XTC Prel Pre-amp Incredible value with a performance far above its price point! Remote control. Boxed As new £495

£6,300

GRANTHAM (Al) LINCOLNSHIRE DEMO'S BY APPOINTMENT

Tel: 078 2192 5851 01476 591090

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

•

HIGH-END REPAIRS AND

SERVICE

HICAM PATHOS LOGOS INTERGRATED AMP 110 WPC AUDIO ANALOUGUE PAGANINI 24/96 CD PLAYER 900 UNISON RESEARCH UNICO CD PLAYER . / 195 ALPHASON AKROS 2 SPEAKER STANDS BOXED MINT 60 AUDIO ANALOGUE BELLINI PRE AMP MM/MC REMOTE 625 ACCUSTICS ARTS POWER 1 INTERGRATED AMP 130WPC 3690 MONRIO ASTY CD PLAYER 24/96 . 895 DENSEN B400X HUD CO PLAYER 2500 AUDIO ANALOGUE DONIZETI MONOBLOCKS . 1152 ACCUSTICS ARTS PRE AMP 1 INC REMOTE CONTROL AUDIO ANALOGUE PRIMO SETTANTA INT AMP 70 WPC GRASP VENICINOUE INT AMP .. 2300 AUDIO VALVE EKLISPE PRE AMP BALANCED AUDIO VALVE ASSISANT 20S INTERGRATED AMP AUDIO VALVE BALDUR 70 . 70WPC 3100 AUDIO VALVE AVALON MONO POWER AMPS CLEAR AUDIO SYMPHONO PHONO STAGE MC ACCUSTICS ARTS DAC 1 32/384KHZ DA CONVERTER 290/ EXIMUS Si POWER AMP 200WPC RCA. XL R INPUT ACCUSTICS ARTS PLAYER 1 24/96 2895 AVI LAB SERIES NEW POWER AMP 200WPC AUDUSA EXPON POWER CABLES FULL RANGE. AVI NEW LAB SERIES PRE AMP OPTIONAL PHONO,DAC AVI LAB SERIES CD PLAYER SUPERB NEW . . AURUM CANTOS LEISURE 3SE STANDMOUNT SPKS . 1200 AVI LAB SERIES INTERGRATED AMP 200 WPC EX OEM BLUENOTE BALDINOTTI MC CARTRIDGE ...... BLUENOTE BORROMED TONE ARM . BLUENOTE DUCALE REFERENCE DUALITY BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS BLUE NOTE BELLAVISTA SIGNITURE TURNTABLE BLACK RHODIUM SYMPHONY 2 MTR PAIR 150 MONRIO MP2 POWER AMP 135 WPC TOSS BLACK RHODIUM POLAR ORATORIO 2 I MTR PR CROFT VITA PRE AMP EX DEMO 990 CROFT TWIN STAR POWER AMPS EX DEM . 1500 CROFT DAKSHINI ALL VALVE POWER AMP NEW CROFT GC1 INTERGRATED AMP 40WPC NEW.... NEW BLACK RHODIUM DCT HARMONY 2 I MTR PR CYRUS 8VS INTERGRATED AMP 6 WEEKS OLD . 800 NEW RACK RHODIUM POLAR CONCERTO I MTR PR CLEARAUDIO CHAMPION TURNTABLE.. PROAC RESPONSE ONE SC STAND MOUNT SPEAKERS IV DE M 95 CLEARAUDIO MICRO BASIC PHONO STAGE MM/MC EAR 324 TRANSISTOR PREAMP NEW .... UNISON RESEARCH UNICO DUAL MONO POWER AMP 2000 EAR 834 INT AMP BOXED NEW . PROAC TABLETTE REFERENCE 8 SPEAKERS 699 EAR 834P MM/MC PHONOSTAGE NEW EAR 890 POWER AMP 70 WPC CLASSA EAR 899 INT/PRE AMP 70 WPC CLASS A i/ EAR 8L6 INTRERGRATED/PRE/MAIN AMP NEW EAR HEADPHONE AMP HP4 NEW EAR 864 PRE AMP 1850 ELAC CL 310.2 JET SPEAKERS NEW ELAC 203 ESP ACTIVE SUBWOOFER NEW UNISON RESEARCH UNICO DUAL MONO POWER AMP ELAC CL 3301 JET INC STANDS NEW GAMUT 1 BATO TEFLON COATED INTERCONECTS RCA 51E ELAC F20 CINEMA SPEAKERS FREESTANDING/GLASS EIAS GAMUT D3 PRE AMP BALANCED IN/OUT GAMUT D200 MK3 POWER AMP NEW 200WPC GAMUT M200 MONOBLOCKS 200WPC . GRADO RS 1 HEADPHONES NEW ........ HALCRO DIA8 PRE AMP /RCA/BALANCED HALCRO DM 38 STEREO AMP 180WPC HALCRO MCA70 7 CHANNEL POWER AMP LYRA ARGO MC CARTRIDGE NEW LYRA HELIKON MC CARTRIDGE NEW LYRA HELIKON SL MC CARTRIDGE NEW LYRA DORIAN MC CARTRIDGE NEW MICHELL HR PSU OC MOTOR NEW EXIMUS DP1 DAC/PRE 24/192 BALANCED CLASS A MICHELL GYRO SE/RB300 ARM MICHELL ORBE SME BOARD NEW CLEARAUDIO BLUEMOTION TURNTABLE 3YEARS WARRANTY CLEARAUDIO EMOTION TURNTABLE 3 YEARS WARRANTY MICHELL TECNODEC WITH RB 300 ARM NEW .. . GOLDRING GRI TURNTABLE CW ARM AND MM CARTRIDGE CUBASSE PIANOSA SPEAKERS CHERRY FINISH NEW 595 TRANSFIGURATION ARIA MC CARTRIDGE 036 MV. TRANSFIGURATION TEMPER MC CARTRIDGE 0 38 MV CUBASSE X05 5 WAY SPEAKER SYSTEM INC SUB NEW 895 STELLO P200 PRE AMP RCA/BALANCED. . 1195 STELLO A1320 INTERGRAIED AMP ....... STELLO OP 200 DAC/PRE AMP RCA/BALANCED STELLO S200 STEREO POWER AMP 200WPC IS DES 1495 GRAAF GM 50 INTERGRMED AMP 50WPC VIRTUAL DYNAMICS POWER 3 CABLE 6 FT LONG VIRTUAL DYNAMICS DAVID RCA I MIR PR . AUDIO ANALOGUE ARIA MM/MC PHONOSTAGE OPERA CALLAS SPEAKERS 1695 ORELLECA100/SP100 PRE POWER NEW 1998 PATHOS CLASSIC ONE INTERGRATED AMP 70 WPC ORELLE 100 EVO CO PLAYER EX OEM . 1499 ORELLE SA 100EVO INT AMP 80WPC FVC NEW 1199 ORIGIN LIVE AURORA GOLD TURNTABLE NEW 1470 ORIGIN LIVE ENCOUNTER TONE ARM NEW 970 ORIGIN LIVE ILLUSTRIOUS TONE ARM NEW 1570 ORIGIN LIVE RESOLUTION TURNTABLE NEW 1970 UNISON RESEARCH SMART 845 MONOBLOCKS PLINIUS P8 POWER AMP 200WPCO8OHMS PLINIUS MB PRE AMP INC REMOTE CONTROL PRIMARE A10 INT AMP EXCELLENT CONDITION BOXED PSB ALPHA 6 ACTIVE SUBWOOFER AS NEW ... 500 RUARK PROLOUGE ONE SPIS FVW FINISH BOXED USED 991/ RUARK VITA 100 61 SPK SYSTEM INC RUARK ACTIVE S118 11SE° 1691/ RUARK VITA 120 5.1 SYSTEM NEW 1695 RUARK PRELUDE 11 NEW ........ 900 PROAC 015 VARIOUS FINISHES NEW / ROM OED FULL RANGE RUARK PROLOGUE Ti LOUDSPEAKERS NEW SENNHE1SER RS&5 WIRELESS HEADPHONES NEW SME MODEL 10 TURNTABLE NEW SME SERIES IV ARM BOXED UNUSED SME SERIES V ARM NEVER USED MINI 161// SME 20/2A TURNTABLE INC SERIES V ARM WIREWORLD ECLIPSE REFFERENCE INTl MIR NEW WIREWORLD ALANTIS SIMIO INTERCONNECTS NEW SOUND ORGANISATION FULL RANGE WIREWORLD EOUINOX 5 FOR NAIM OWNERS DIN DIN STAG SR 007...SRM007 EARSPEAKERS NEW STAG SRS 2020 MK2 EARSPEAKERS NEW STAX SRS 4040 SYSTEM SIGNITURE 2 NEW SUMIKO BLACKBIRD MC CARTRIDGE NEW SUMIKO PEARL MM CARTRIDGE NEW SUMIKO BLUE POINT SPECIAL MC NEW T.A 24/192 CD PLAYER AMAZING NEW SUMIKO BLUE POINT SPECIAL evo et MC NEW 239 WIREWORLD SOLSTICE 5 I MIR INTERCONNECT NEW 69 WIREWORLD FULL RANGE OF AWARD WINNING CARL ES WIREWORLD STARLIGHT 5 KOMI 1 MIR CABLE 199 WIREWORLD EQUINOX 5 1/2 METRE INTERCONNECT 1511 120 TRICHORD DINO PSU NEW 299 NEW TRICHONS DIABLO PHONO AMP M/MC INLINE PSU 699 AS ABOVE WITH THE NEVER CONNECED PSU 1198 OEDD 01 DISCSAVER CONVERTS LINE LEVEL 10 ACCEPT MM 35 SHURE FULL RANGE PUA BLACK RHODIUM SUPER MAINS 13 1 25 MTRS NEW 35 VIVANACO DX 400 HEADPHONES NEW 20 MISSION RANGE OF SPEAKERS AVAILABLE . . . PEA WIREWORLD SOLSTICE 5 SPK CABLE AWARD WINNER FROM f132 WIREWORLD EQUINOX 5 INTERCONNECT 1 MIR PR 219 WIREWORLD RAINBOW 5 INTERCONNECT 149

AGENTS FOR. EAR. TRICHORD, AUOIONOTE. MICHELL. MYRYAD. AVI. STAX, LAT. ELAC. RIAU, SME. PLINIUS. BLACK RHODIUM. LORA SUMIKO OTO GAMUT. ORIGIN LIVE, ORELLE.

WIREWORLO.TRANSFIGURATION. AURUM CANTUS. ACOUSTICS ARTS. MICRO. STELLO CLEARAUDIO. ALOIA. SHUN 140011. CROFT AUOIOVALVE VIRTUAL DYNAMICS

Open Mon-Sun lam - 6pm Now in Northampton 2 minutes off A508

Ell For further details •-) I

Tel/Fax. 01604 842379 Mobile: 07973 2333E10 Email:. . . [email protected] Website• HICAM.CO.UK

1499

799

112L

WAS NOW 2750 450 995 30

395 3200 595

1350 595

2350 425

1500 2100 1500 2700 2450 770

2400 2531 2000 1299 POA 1499 1469 995 1350 1400 999 1800 1900

90 795 697 795

1200 3600 1250 160 600 225 810 950 230 2400 1395 2440 550 715

2600 2600 2690 2275 1475 799 625 599

2499 195 499

3430 3990 6100 600 9480

13550 5100 795

1145 1249 495 315

2531 1128 2413 695 655 700 140 450 690 2250 695 950

1685 1495 1200 3950 125 380 495 1295 POA 1325 1199 POA 1070 970

1570 1970 3750 2250 2250 275 225 395 750

1500 800 1790 POA 1250 159

2643 1000 1400 5273 490 149 POA 109

2495 349 995 589 65


NOTEWORTHY AUDIO hi-fi by enthusiasts

1We think we are a refreshingly different hi-fi shop,

,why not pop in, visit our web-site or call us and see itj you agree.

Special offers

Below is a small selection of some of our ex demonstration and part exchanged special otters. For more information and

photos of most items please see our website.

Turntables 4 Phono Sta s Was Now

Heybrook TT2, Rega RB300 & Sumiko BPS

Linn Basik with Basik LVX arm marked bd CD Players

Audio Note CD-T1 transport Ex dem Exposure 2010 CD player in silver. Ex dem

Rega Planet cast case version

Marantz DV8300 SACD/CD/DVD-A. Ex dem Tuners

1.100

600

500

1,500

300

165

875

455 295,

875 1

Talk Electronics Li htnin. 1.1 tuner 600 425

Amplifiers

Bryston BP20 & 3PST pre & power amplifier Chord CPA2200/SMP600 Pre/Power

Consonance Reference 1.1 valve line pre

Exposure 2010 line level amplifier in black

Exposure XXI remote controlled line level pre

icon LA3 valve line level pre amplifier

Icon Stereo 40 integrated 40m valve amp Magnum A50 monoblocks. Factory modified

iYlarantz PM6010 K.I.Signature in gold. New

Rega Elex integrated with MM phono stage Rega Maia 2000 power amp in Silver Ex dem

Sugden Headmaster pre/headphone amp

Sugden AmpMaster stereo power amplifier

"rube Tech Seer/Unisi s valve . re/. rwe

S eakers

Beauhorn B2 Gold. ATD driver & Vibraplinth BC Acoustique Tibre in cherry. ex dem

Castle Richmond 3. New in various finishes

Epos M12 speakers in cherry. Ex dem

Epos M12 speakers in dark cherry.

ifit Labs Electra 906 speakers in grey/rose

Omega full range Fostex based speaker

Piega C3 in brushed aluminium finish

ProAc Studio 125 in Maple Ex dem

PcoAc Tablette 2000 in natural Oak

Quad 11L in Birds Eye Maple. Ex dem

Rega Ela speakers in Cherry Revolver R33 speakers in Maple/Grey

Rethm Second Rethm' serious Lowther horn

Tannoy R2 in Cherry

Vienna Mozart in Gloss black ( lightly marked)

1.850

5.295 3.795

2.495 1,995 ' 600 455

650 ¡

450

900 695 1,200

500 250 215

498 375

395

698 395

3,000 1,500

890

280

500

500

2.000

1600 1,000

650

380

500

7.000

350

1.500

2.895 730

200

300

300

675

1,100

1.250

655

495

300

270

370

3.999 175

895

Home Cinema

Denon DVD-A1 their flagship OVO player

Nad T532 OVO player. New Pure 601ES Processor and 5 ch power amp

Stands Uni. ue Fathom subwoofer in silver E ul ntsu orts 8, speaker stands

2.500 1.475

330 250 1,050 725

185

Rega 4 tier rack suitable for cast case range

Target TT2 mk2 two tier rack Target TT1 one tier amplifier stand

ACCESSORIES Vle.t stock a wade range of aœessones to cater for the nee,

every enthusiast -Cones etc from Michell, ROC Something Solid & Nordni.i •Tumtable dust covers from Michell and Clearcover •Range of LP's held in stock (including FicEi News Testdisr +fill Plus magazine stockists -Is)lation platforms from Voodoo Something Solid ROC -LF tweaks from Ringmat Verdier Last Zerostat Shure -Mains items from lsol-8 Isotek Power Wrap MusicWorks -CO tweaks from Audioprism Statmat Bedini -Aatistatir LP innil slr vry livio Nagaoka Goldring & Maher -Record cleaning products, machines and cleaning servicu

90

55

40

Please see our webstle tor our full range of accessories

NOTEWORTHY DIY •Staetkit superb range of Valve amplifier kits starting fier" £395 -AL dio Note Dac Kits from £550 -Lowther drive units -PI- Y-HP drive units -Wender Solder -Eichmann phono and 4mm plugs -Futrutech IBC sockets and plugs -Inca Gold plated mains plug -DeoxIT/Pro Gold contact cleaner -Urisleeved 0 5mm Pure silver wire 4,foodoo pire silver plated 4iiim plugs 4ilver plated phono sockets and binding posts

Vist www noleworthyaudio co iik/dly for (urine, details Of f to receive a copy 0(0w- DIY brooklet

NOTEWORTHY AUDIO 36 Buckingham Street. Aylesbury, Bucks. HP20 21 1

Open 9.30 to 5 30 Tuesday to Saturday

Tel: 01296 422224 www.noteworthyaudio.co.uk

125 JUNE 2005

Heatherdate Oaudio limited

202, Findon Road, Worthing, BN 14 OE./ Pre-owned equipment available

with guarantee Export facilities aiwilable

Visit our Web Page wow' hifi-stewo conz

Main dealer for Tannin' Prestige Speakers

Audio Note Zero System. Ex Demo ANZ Mono Blocks, ANZ Pre-Amp. ANZ DAC. ANZ Transport 8. ANZ Speakers

Retails £2,945 £1,995

SPEAKERS

Audio Physics Tempo Speakers £795 Tannoy Monitor Gold 12" in Lancaster size cabinets £595 B&W Silver Signature 30 Speakers (very rare, retail £7,000) £4,450 Spica TC-50 Speakers £275 Orchid LWO Speakers £2,795 Thiel CS6 Speakers Rosewood finish (superb condition, retails £8,500) £4,495 Klipschorn Speakers medium oak finish (retails £5,700) £2,950 Audio Note J speakers (excellent condition, boxed).. £625 Tannoy 15" HPD drivers with cross overs £395 Genesis 350 SE Speakers 10 months old (retails £35,000) £16,995

PRE-AMPS

Exposure 11 & 12 Pre Amp & PSU £595 Naim NAC 92 Pre Amp & Naim NAP 90/3 Power Amp £595 Tott LBPA-5 Line level Pre Amp £495 Musical Fidelity MF3A Pre Amp & PSU £195 Audio Note M8 Pre amp with Phono Stage (brand new, retails £ 19,500) £12,500 Audio Research SP14 Pre-amp £1,495 Proceed PAV Pre Amp £1,395

AMPLIFIERS

Mark Levinson ML333 power amp £3895 Audio Note Nero Mono Blocks £5,495 Spectral DMC 12 line Pre Amp, DMA 90 Power Amp with MIT Speaker Cable and Interconnect (boxed, mint) £4,995 Quad 44/405 Pre/Power £295 Parasound HCA 1000a Power Amp £345 Musical Fidelity A3.2 CR Power Amp £595 Musical Fidelity A3.2 Integrated Amp £550 Mark Levinson ML 336 Power Amp (cost new £9,995) £4,495 Audio Note Kegon Mono Blocks (silver transformers, western electrics 300b's. Brand new (retails £28,000) £15,000 Meridian 605 Mono Blocks £895 Accuphase A20V class A amp (as new, retails £4,000) £2,950 Advantage Integrated Amp £1,495

CD PLAYERS & TRANSPORTS

Lab 47 Flat Fish Transport, Progression DAC & Power Dumpty PSU £3,995 Roksan Attessa CD Transport with ROC DA1 and ROK 064 PSU £895

MISCELLANEOUS

Shunyata Aries Interconnects 1m pair (ex demo) . £450 Shunyata Aries Interconnects 2m pair (ex demo) £695 Audio Note AN-S2 moving coil Cartridge step-up transformer, copper wired (new) (retails £499) £450 Zerodust Stylus tip cleaner gel ( retails £35) £25 Zerodust CO & lens cleaning cloths ( retails £25) .. £17.50

TURNTABLES, CARTRIDGES & TONEARMS

Art Audio Vinyl 1 MM/MC phono stage £695 Zyx Airey Cryogenic copper cables (as new, retails £1,500) £995 Air Tangent 2002 tone arm (as new, retails £6,900) £4,250 Project 6.9 Turntable (no cartridge fitted) (as new, retails £600) £425 Audio Tekne Cartridge with step transformer (as new) £2,995 My Sonic Eminent Cartridge (as new) £2,750 Dynavector DV-DRT XV1S cartridge (as new, retails £2,900) £1,995 Project 9c S carbon fibre arm with silver wires (as new, retails £550) £375 Project RPM9 Turntable (no cartridge fitted) (as new, retails £1,000) £700 RS Laboratory RS-Al with rotary headshell (as new, retails £850) £595 Selection of brand new discounted cartridges

0% FINANCE available for up to 3 years* 'On selected items. Subject to status. Conditions apply.

MAIN DEALERS OF MARK LEVINSON, THIEL WE ACCEPT SWITCH - MASTERCARD

VISA - DINERS CLUB - AMERICAN EXPRESS

Tel: 01903 8722880r Evenings 07860 660001

IIIII Fax: 01903 872234 ,ffill Email:

[email protected]

DRIVERS:

> ATC

> AUDAX

> ETON

> FOSTEX

> LPG > MAX FIDELITY

> MOREL > PEERLESS

> SCAN-SPEAK > SEAS

> SILVER FLUTE

> VIFA > VISATON

> VOLT

SOLEN CAPACITORS AND

INDUCTORS - USED BY THE

MOST DISCRIMINATING

LOUDSPEAKER

MANUFACTURERS.

HARDWARE

HOW TO BOOKS

Contact us for the free Solen CDROM Catalog.

fee' SOLEN 4470 Avenue Thibault St- Hubert, QC, J3Y 7T9 Canada

Tel: 450.656.2759 Fax: 450.443.4949 Email solenesolen.ca Web www.solen.ca

Absolute Demos

52 Audrogram MB2- Integrated Amplifier £265.00

• Audrogram MB1- Amplrber £219.00

O Audio research VT100 MKIII - Valve Amplifier £4850.00

• Audm research 150.2 - Class T digital amplifier £ 1494.1X1

CI Audio research 150.M5-Class T 5 ch digrtal ampldier£4025:00

• Copland CSA301 MKI - Valve Preampldier r69900

• Copland CSA303 - Hybrid Preampldrer £650.00

- Copland CTA504 - Valve Amplrfier£ 1099.0

a) Copland CVA 535- 5 5125W amplIfier, £1700.00

Jadis Orchestra - CD Player £899.00

O Krell KAV250P - Preamplifrer £1499.00

- Krell KPS 255c-Preamplifier/CD player CAST2 £1899b.00

1Cr Krell KSL - Preamplifier £800.00

+ Martin Logan Odyssey-Flectrostatic Loudspeakers £4700.00

Martin Logan Ouest - Electrostatic Loudspeakers

Martin Logan Script -Electrosabc Loudspeakers

McIntosh C200 - 2 chassis Preamplifier

McIntosh MC2000 - Ltd. edition Valve Amplifrer

McIntosh CR16 - Multizone control system

Mcintosh MC58 - Amplifier

Mcintosh MC202 - Amplifier

Mcintosh MHT100 - Home theatre processor

PS Audio Ultralink O - DAC

PS Audio Reference Link - Digital Preamp

Sense Faber Concerbno Horne Loudspeakers

Theta Digital David II -CD/DVD Dnve

Wilson Audio CUB - Loudspeakers Situer

Wilson Audio CUB II w/stands Black

WrIson Audio System 6 - Loudspeakers Cashmere £12500.00

WrIson Audio Witt II Loudspeakers Black £5400.00

Z Systems RD01- Transparenl Deal Equal., £1850.00 no grey imports - all equipment comes

with 1 year full warranty

E

cr

£2403.00

£1225.00

£4200.00

£9000.00

£2299.00

£1719.00

£1999.00

£3199.00

£989.00

£1999.00

£399.00

£2999.00

£2900.00

£5499.00

IZOOffl 2

Premier Audio tilaLighlUella&LILLILIS

Oct Illgar. Purcell & Venti Transport, litmus & 250 Power. Venty Fidel° & Sonus Faber Speakers, Siltech Cables, large* Sub Station. HDA Equipment Stands

Audio Aero, Audio Synthikis, Kora Pm & Power, Pink Triangle CD/Amp, Manin Logan Audio Physics Speakers, Arm' Equipment Stand, Hoek Sub Station PiS

Audio Syntlii,i, • Audit, Physics - Audio Arm - Absolute Sound, [X'S • Kenn - Itii,ois - Siltech - Amid - HDA - Pink triangle As ht turntable, Prnect - Omen) - Van den t lull - Mirage

weirome liomt 4monsrrarfan good. sefection of s/4gand

We are 10mins J 39 MI 10mins J30 M62 Tel : Wakefield 01924 255045 - Colin Grundy

WW W. h if inews.co.0 k

You can now choose to pay in 2006 at KJ West One

SYSTEM 7

WADIA 302 CD Plyr

T+A V10 Amplifier

.m0

1

T £3999.00 £3995.00

SONUS FABER (remoras

Normal System Price

DEPOSIT

Deferred 12 months

£4999.00

£12,993.00

£2600.00

£10,393.00

Interest Free Option on Request

A Perfect Partnership. With the Wadia 302 at the helm signalling accurate, detailed information into the absolutely amazing and innovative 70 watt integrated valve amplifier from T+A driving the full range of micro dynamics through the most elegant affordable speaker from the master craftsmen at Sonus Faber. Yes. we have the perfect partnership. A sonic alliance at, dare we say, a bargain price.

*FINANCE SU RIG TO STATUS, WRITTEN DETAILS ON REQUEST.

HIGH-RI) HOME DEMONSTRATIONS BY APPOINTMENT. KEW CALL FOR DETAILS

Right now we are offering our customers the opportunity to choose any system, or component upgrade for that matter with the option to pay just 20% deposit and then nothing to pay for 12 monde. We are committed to making it easier for you to upgrade to your dream system.

Take a look at our own featured

SYSTEM I * * * * *

CYRUS CD8x

ROKSAN Caspian Amp

DYNAUDIO 42 Spkrs

Normal System Price

DEPOSIT

Deferred 12 months

£1000.00

£999.00

£399.00

£2398.00

systems below. All of us at KJ take considerable pride in our endeavours to audition and put together dream systems. We are fortunate to be able to choose from the world's finest range of musical components.

Whilst equipment reviews are helpful we quite often find that tiw sum of 11w parts clo not actuall

SYSTEM 2 *****

QUAD CDP

QUAD 99 Power

QUAD 221 Spkrs

Normal System Price

£480.00 DEPOSIT

£1000.00

£550.00

£895.00

£2445.00

£500.00

£1918.00 Deferred 12 months £ 1945.00


SYSTEM 4 **** *

SHANLING CDT-100

PATHOS Classic 1 Amp

£1649.00

£1325.00

EtrenrUCIELIPM Hemel System Price

DEPOSIT

£44/3.00

£895.00

Deferred 12 months £3578.00


SYSTEM 8 *******

THETA (ampli Uni Plyr

PATHOS Inpol 1 Amp

WILSON BENESCH

Nonni Systole Price

DEPOSIT

Deferred 12 months

£4482.00

£5500.00

£18,981.00


SYSTEM 5

MERIDIAN GO8 CD Plyr

COPLAND CSA29 Amp

Normal Spies hire

DEPOSIT

Deferred 12 months

£2249.00

£1899.00

£5947.00 £1190.00

£4757.00

Interest FfOO Oplies ON Request

SYSTEM 9 *******

AUDIO RESEARCH CD3

fAcINTOSH (2200/W2101

MARTIN LOGAN Odyssey

Normal System Price

£3800.00 DEPOSIT

£5189.00

£10,000.00

£6798.00

£21,987.00

£4400.00

£15,182.00 Deferred 12 months £17,587.00

Were Free Option en Request

West/ jOne

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SYSTEM 3 0. ****

UNICO CD player

UNICO Amplifier

SONUS Concerto Spies

Normal System Price

DEPOSIT

Deferred 12 months

£1175.00

£825.00

£99.00

£2999.00

£600.00

£2399.00


SYSTEM 6

AUDIONET ART V2 CD

KRELL KAV400xi Amp

Named System Price

DEPOSIT

Deferred 12 months

£2299.00

£2699.00

£7546.00 £1510.00

£6036.00


SYSTEM 10 *******

KRILL KPS18c CD Plyr

AUDIO RES. tS25/VS110

- Boned System Price

£9798.00

£11,992.00

£30,788.00

DEPOSIT £6200.00

Deferred 12 months £24,588.00

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LONDON W1G 8TY

Tel: 020 7486 8262/3

PETERBOROUGH (01733) 341755

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Cary SLP-5o Pre-amp (saver, 900d arid)

Cary SLAM ioo monoblocks pair (silver)

Cyrus Pre X (silver)

Cyrus Mono X Pair (si lver)

Gryphon XT 2-box Pre-amp (black)

Krell KRC HC Pre-am p (sep psu) sit)

Mark Levinson 32 Preamp(inc phono stage) s/h

Mark Levinson 332.5 Bridged Pair MonoséocAirxs/h

Pa rasound iCr Monoblock Rower (Pair, silver) exd

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BOW ZZ-Eight 16-bit CD Player (black)

Copland CDA-2-p CD Player (silver)

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Manley Reference (Professional") DAC

Mark Levinson 31 CD Transport (mint)

Microme:Jo Duo CD 2 Transp & Duo Pro Dac

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DEMONSTRATOR AND USED ITEMS

FRONT END/PLAYBACK

AMPLIFICATION

SPEAKERS

CABLES & TABLES

Digital Densen Beat400+ x-demo Arcam DIVA DV88Plus S/H Accuphase DP77V CD/SACD player x-demo Audio Research CD3 S/H dCS Elgar 24/192 1998 Version (non-firewire) S/H Mark Levinson No3I.5 Tranort S/H Mark Levinson No360s DAC S/H Meridian 008 CD S/H Naim Audio CD3 S/H Primare V I 0 CD/DVD Player x-demo Theta Generation V Balanced S/H Theta Pro Basic II DAC with Oscom/Balanced S/H

Analogue ClearaudioAccurate MC x-demo Clearaudio Unify UnipivotTonearm New&Boxed ClearaudioVictoryInC New&Boxed Dynavector XX2 MC Cartridge 100hrs S/H EAR The Head MC Transformer S/H Heed Quazar 2 box MC/MM Phono stage new Kuzma Stabi/Stogi S Turntable New& Boxed Project 2 Turntable S/H Roksan Xerxes Cognoscenti XPS3 RW Regs Cut S/H Roksan Xerxes XPSI/Alphason HRS100 S/H Roksan Xerxes X /XPS3/Tabrizi S/H SME 20/2A Turnatable S/H stemdeck X 11900 /RB250 S/H

Trichord Research Delphini 4 box phono stage S/H Triplannar Series VI Tonearm S/H

Preamplifiers Audio Analogue Bellini Remote Preamplifier X-demo Audio Research 1316 Preamplifier Hovland HPIOOMC Preamplifier S/H Naim NAC102/K s/n125'"'4 Preamplifier S/H Spectral DMCIS Preamplifier S/H Spectral DMC 30s Reference Preamplifier S/H Rega Cursa Preamplifier Black x-demo

Amplifiers Audio Analogue Corelli Stereo Power Amplifier X-demo Audio Analogue Donizetti Mono Power Amplifiers X-demo Audio Research VT200 MkIlValve Power Amplifier S/H Arcam DIVA AVR200 DTS5.1 Receiver S/H Krell KAV300i Integrated S/H Krell FPB300 Stereo Power Amplifier S/H Krell KSA250 Stereo Power Amplifier S/H Krell KSA50 Class A SO Stereo S/H Naim NAP 180 S/H Red Rose Sprit Integrated x-demo Regs Maia Power amplifier Black x-demo

Loudspeakers ATC Active 10 SL x-demo ATC SCM7 Cherry x-demo Quad ESL 63 Brown just serviced with stands S/H Quad ESL57 Black with I thing stands S/H JIM Lab Micro Utopia Anigre with Stands S/H KEF HTS 2001 5. ¡Surround Package S/H Mordant Short 902 S/H Martin Logan CLSII Anniversary Electrostatics 7 months Old S/H Naim Audio Intro Black Ash S/H ProAc CC I Response Centre Speaker Black Ash S/H Peak Consult Incognito Rosewood x-demo Regs ELA Cherry 7C-demo

Cables & Accessories Cardas Neutral Reference 1m RCA-BNC S/H Elemental Audio Speaker Stands Special Edition 21' S/H Finite Elemente Pagode E14 Signature Maple 4 tier S/H Finite Elemente Pagode E21 Amplifier Stand S/H Madrigal MDC 2 I m F-atboy Digital cable new boxed Madrigal MDCI ImAES/EBU 110ohm Digital Cable new boxed Nordost Valhalla 2x5m Biwired S/H Nordost SPM 2x2m Birewied S/H Sennheiser HD565 S/H Siltech SQ58G3 2x4m Balanced Interconnect x-demo Spectral MI-330 15ft Interconnect RCA-RCA x-demo Spectral MI-330 3ft Interconnect RCA-RCA S/H Spectral MI-750 15ft Interconnect RCA-RCA x-demo Transparent Music Link Ultra XL 1m RCA S/H Transparent Music Link Ultra XL 2m RCA S/H

Was 1295 1200 7600 5490 8500 9999 7500 2250 980 795

6290 2990

2800 795 1030 950 N/A 550 N/A 299 I 500 N/A 2695 5537 N/A 1999 3500

625 2999 5495 1089 4800 7600 598

695 1050 9998 899 2790 9500 6599 N/A 1189 1000 548

1650 499 N/A N/A 3999 799 249

6700 875 599

7500 749

550 1599 1200 299 319 420 8400 2199 199

2370 800 500 1400 999 1299

Tuners & Tape decks, power supplies Magnum Dynalab FT-R Remote Switcher for FT I 0 I A/Etude Magnum Dynalab MD106T 4 months old Nakamichi BX300E 3 head cassette deck S/H Regs radio 3 Silver X-demo Sony MDSAA3OES Mini Disc Recorder S/H Sony TC-KA6ES 3 head cassette deck S/H

3600 N/A 398 499 599

Now 979 399

4999 2799 3299 4999 2999 1899 449 499 1999 995

1699 599 699 679 399 395 1399 99

599 599 1699 3799 250 1399 1999

499 I 799 2999 549

3250 4999 429

479 729

6999 499 1299 3799 1999 999 599 649 399

1199 375 1499 599 1699 449 99

4295 499 329

5799 579

375 549 849 179' 159 199

4999 799 99

1499 499 329 799 499 599

279 2999 299 279 149 249

Midland Audio X-change are looking for Audio Research, Krell,

Mark Levinson, Naim Audio, SME,Wadia.

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MIDLAND AUDIO XCHANGE

t.01562 731100 (. 01562 730228 m.07721 605966

THE OLD CHAPEL, FORGE LANE, BELBROUGHTON. DY9 9TD

130 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNews wwv, hifinews

CROYDON'S KIMBERLEY

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The biggest and best analogue dem selection in the north

Turntables

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Clearaudio Michell

Nottingham Analogue Origin Live Project

Wilson Benesch

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Accessories Protective sleeves. Record Cleaning Machines. Platter Mats. Wall shelves. Carbon Fibre Brushes. Stylus Pressure Gauges. Stylus Cleaner. etc etc

Used Items Over 50 used items by the following great names Alchemist. Alphason. Audiolab, EAR. Chord, Garrard. Hadcock. Linn. Logic, Michell, Monrio. Mission. Musical Fidelity. MTM, NAIM. Origin Live. Odyssey. Pink Triangle. Project. Rega. Rotel, Roksan. Thorens. Transcriptors, and more by the time you read this!

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ITEMS TO SELL? CALL US - WE WILL GIVE YOU MORE COMMISSION SALES TOO!

• acou3tics b shianlin: Real hi-fi have worked closely with Shanling to create an improved range of products for the UK without increasing the current prices.

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'Wm 1111

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Exceptional full- range horn speakers from Denmark employing heavily-modified Lowther drivers in 3-way configurations.

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If your valve amplifier has adjustable bias you definitely need one of these meters with accurate digital read-out.

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E 1600 for a pair of hard-wired single-ended 300B gorgeous- e looking monoblocs made in Holland. How do they do it?

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The only solid-state amps we have come across that can tr-uty nval the tonal richness and resolution of a valve amp.

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For prices, additional nformation and Dealer List please visit our web site, email us or call Matthew at Real hi-fi.

Tel: 0870 909 6777 infoebrealhi-fi.com I www.realhi-fi.com

11 Exciting new loudspeakers from the States with ultra-competitivirice-tags. Featuring patented technological breakthroughs like "spider-less" drivers with fluid-damping and active dust-caps (Synchro-Vibrate Flattop). Rave reviews and Awards "galore".

www.hyperionsound.com

o

a 1-IPS-938 LOUDSPEAKER

editors' choice

the absolute sound 2 0 0 4

(

distributed in the uk exclusively by

eeddlainall www.hifinews.co.uk Hi-FiNews JUNE 2005 131

The Market The place to buy and sell audio equipment and accessories

For sale

Quad 77 integrated amplifier, 77 CD player,

77 FM tuner and system remote control, Nextel

£1200, Quad ESL63 speakers and stands, need

attention, offers, Tel: 02380 600857

(Southampton) EDF171

JM Lab loudspeakers, Electra 905, 3 way with

Target twin column stands, lovely cherry/black

finish, first to see will buy, cost 3 yrs ago £ 1450,

absolute giveaway £595 ovno; also wanted

Shahinian Obelish speakers, would part ex JM

Labs if interested. Tel: 07795 552220 (mobile)

0121 3580459 (evenings) [ DF171

Audio Research LS25MkIlpre-amplifier £3100

(£5999 new), mint condition, 33 months old,

original box, manual and remote supplied with

spare set of new valves purchased from

Absolute Sounds. Tel or text: 07765246756;

email: [email protected] EDFI 71

Wadia 861 CD player £3500 (£8000 new),

excellent condition, upgraded from an original

860x in March 2002, perfect for upgrading to

outstanding 861SE version. Tel or text:

07765246756; email: k.booker-

[email protected] [DF171

Transparent Ultra speaker cable, 12ft, single

wire, £900 (£2200 new), Cardas Golden

Reference Interconnects XLR, 2 pairs, 1M @

£400 and 0.9M @ £350 (£900 new), Siltech

4-80S Interconnects XLR, 2 pairs 0.5M and

0.6M, £400 each (£800-900 new), classic now

unobtainable pure silver cable. Tel or text:

07765246756; email: k.booker-

[email protected] EDF171

Audionote Silver Meishu with Phono stage, nine

months old, mint condition, fantastic integrated

SET amplifier, £3500 (£5,500), Conrad Johnson

Premier 1 la Stereo Power amp 70wpc, little used

and in VGC, £ 1450 (£3750).

Tel: David 07815 737586 ( Edinburgh) [ DF171

Border Patrol S10 amplifier, dual power supply,

Weston Electrics 300B valves just one year old

mint condition £4,000 ono.

Phone 01208 872316 Cornwall [ DE141

Deltec DSP505 pre-amp, PSU, phono stage, DPA

505 power amp, Deltec mains filter, cables, boxes

and manuals £ 1075.

Tel: 020 8992 3978 [ DF171

Cyrus FMX radio tuner, boxed, mint, unused,

29 presets, MC-Bus compatible, 76db s/noise

ratio stereo > 50db channel separation £250

(£500 new). Tel: 0113 2576710 ( Leeds) 07900

406712 [DF17]

Russ Andrews Kimber purifier power block £225

(400), Silver Reference power cord 3ft £575

(960), Reference power cord 6ft £ 120 (219), 4ft

£100 ( 183), 3ft £90 ( 165), all with boxes Tel:

01797 253073/07801 837927 mobile [ DF171

Wadia 850 CD player, with remote, instructions

and boxed, excellent condition, £2,750. JPS

interconnect 1 metre, WBTs, pristine condition

£300 (£500), both items no offers.

Tel:01623 740872/07816 063648,

[email protected] [ DE17]

ATC C4 centre channel loudspeaker, perfect and

mint condition, change of plans, boxed, £700,

this is an Active loudspeaker, new £ 1200.

Tel: 01287 638986 (Cleveland area) [ DE14]

Cyrus CD8X plus PSX-R power supply, latest spec,

finished in black, as new c/w manuals and

manufacturers, boxes £800 Tel: 01457 871622

Mobile 077541 85437 [DE141

Spectral DMC-12 pre-amp with onboard phono

stage, fantastic reviews on request, UK spec.

official UK import, immaculate, box, manual, can

demonstrate, list was £4750, asking £ 1750 Tel:

020 8882 7278 [DE141

Exposure XXV RC amp £430, Castle Avon

Speakers (mahogany) includes 4 metres

Audioquest bi-wire and plugs, £250, excellent

condition with original packaging (can

demonstrate). Tel: 01482 887409 ( Beverley)

after 6pm EDE141

Chord CPM 2600 integrated with system remote

and integra legs £2750 (£4140). Tel: David 020

8641 3911 (evenings) Surrey [ DF171

Tannoy Canterbury and s.tweeter, mint condition

£5000 (£ 11000) private sale, Surrey.

Tel: 07764 156157/01483 246361 [DF17]

Tiled CS6 speakers, Morado finish concrete

baffle, vgc, boxed £4495 ono (£8700 new) in

warranty. Tel: after 6pm 01903 261931 (Sussex)

[DF17]

Icon Audio pair M B25 300B valve mono blocks

and LA3 valve triode line pre-amp as new,

immaculate, little use, year old, original boxes,

stunning sound. £ 1600 (new £2400).

Tel: Mike 07951792449 email:

[email protected] [ DF17]

Accuphase DP75V single-box CD player, mint

condition, UK dealer supplied, original box and

packaging, manuals, very light use, £4,750. Very

rare modern classic, better than DP85 at playing

CDs. Tel: 07791 361620 [EH17]

Spectral DMC-30SL studio reference limited

edition preamplifier, XLR and RCA inputs and

outputs, latest benchmark Spectral product,

complete with remote and manual etc. As new

£6450 ono Tel: 07776 301106 [EH17]

Krell KRC2 remote control pre-amp, external KPE

phono stage (£5350) £2295, Krell KST100 amp

£1195, Marantz ST17 RDS tuner (£600) £295,

boxes, manuals and mint condition. Maz 07050

378831 or 0161 3431319 ( Manchester) [ EF14]

Audio Research SPIO £2000, Audio Research

M300 power amplification £2500, Audio

Research VT150SE £4500, Krell KMA100

£1800, C.A.T. SL1 £ 1100, Croft Epoch Elite

£395, KEF Reference 107 speakers £495, Naim

SBL speakers £495. Tel: 0191 2810260 [EF20]

Avid speaker cable connects to mains 3m pair 3

months use, as new, retails at £850, must sell

hence £349 ono. Also complete AVI system cost

£4200 when new sell £ 1650; all items mint and

boxed. Tel: 01455212362 or 07795 671932

[EG171

Ultimate 60K system, Wadia 7,9,10 (27k) 9.5k,

Artemis Systems EOS Signatures, Base modules,

composite stands crossovers ( 17k) 7.5k, cables,

silver ( 13k) 1.5k, NRG control 400w Class A

monoblocks ( 13k) 3.5k, all 20k, Cary Cad 805

Signatures single ended Triode, wooden creates

(18k) 8k, amazing equipment, serious only, Peter

Tel: 01766 780043/07879 032638 [EG171

Naim NAC52 super cap £2500, CDS 2 CDPS

£2000, NAT 03 £330, Mana 6-shelf equipment

rack £300, B&W 803, cherrywood £2300, Chord

5PA 2232 stereo power amplifier ( 1200E)

£2000. Tel: 020 8339 0157 (Surrey) [ EG171

Graaf GM200 OTL (£3250); Graaf GM13.58

(£1950); Cardas Golden Cross XLR interconnects

pair (£475); Cardas GC speaker cables 2.5m

(£925); all in as new condition, original packaging

and manuals. Telephone: Paul 07703 134121

[EF14]

Conrad Johnson PV12AL valve line stage,

cherished and lovely, c/w new unused valves, and

set Rothwel I attenuators, sounds fab £895

(£1990) upgraded to Prem 16. John King,

email: [email protected] [EG17]

XTC pre2 pre-amp, £500, Orelle SP100 power

amp, latest version £500, everything is mint with

original box and packaging, and transferable

warranty Tel: 07791 361620 [EH171

Synergistic Research designers Reference

interconnects 1.0 metre pair XLR with Active

shielding £875 ono, Synergistic Research

speaker cable 3.00 metre pair £950 ono,

Synergistic Research mains calbe master coupler

£125 each, 2 available.

Tel: John 07944 669448 [EF14]

Perpetual Technologies PIA + P3A with level 2

Modwright upgrade, Monolithic PSU and inc

Revelation Audio Cryo silver cables, hi-fi bargain

at £995. Tel: 020 8205 4710 (evenings, London)

[EF141

Pioneer F91 Reference tuner £ 120, Pioneer

A30OR Precision amp £ 120, both vgc, boxed and

manuals, 500+ hi-fi magazines going back to

1988, offers? ( Buyer collects magazines).

Email: [email protected] [ EF141

Halcro Drn38 power amp £8795, Halcro DMIO

pre with phono £6995, Boulder 1060 amp

£8495, Boulder 1012 pre with DAC £6495, Krell

700cx £7250. The very last word in hi-fi.

Tel: 07795 173094, delivery possible [ EF14l


E

Bose Lifestyle 35 white CD, DVD, FM/AM, 5.1, as

new, unmarked condition, little use, cost £3200,

bargain £2000. Tel: Mike on 07768 763576

fEF141

Totem Ario Maple £500, Arcam A85 3450, ES 11

Walnut plus stands £300, all good condition and

boxed. Tel: Paul 01622 859693 [EF141

Meridian 504 tuner, mint, no box, £400 ono.

Tel: 020 7536 0466 fEF14l

DCS Verdi/Elgar plus combo £8695, Mark

Levinson 32 Reference pre £6895, Gryphon

Sonata Allegro pre £4695, Wilson Watt/Puppy 7

£12,995. Stunning units 07795 173094,

delivery possible fEF141

Valhalla 0.8m, £560 (£2000). 1.0m VDH First

Ultimates Mk II £ 129, Red Dawns £ 195. All

brand new. 2.0m SPM speaker cables £750

(£2300). Valhalla 2.15m speaker cables, boxed,

£2100 (£4300). [email protected] Tel: 01895

677714 [EG17]

Audioquest Jade speaker cable 2 x 5metre

bi-wired £450 ono (£810).

Tel: 01206 383966 fEF141

Trichord Diablo PSU-1, Rogers LS3/5A Snell Type

A-11, Quad ESL-57 black quadrapod stands,

Thorens TD- 125 SME 3009, SME plinth Trichord

Dino PSU/NC Proac Reference eight Signatures

boxed, possible p/ex. Tel: 0117 9556555/07979

514450 [EF14]

VP1 Aries Scout, JMW 9 tonearm dustcover,

18months, as new, cost £ 1300, £950 ono, see

stereophile.com/print archives for review or HiFi+,

Audio Alchemy DAC In The Box, Qud Qunex P75,

£95, Tel: 01260 295804 fEG201

Sugden A2IA, black, phono, (mm), pre-outs,

excellent condition, boxed, £575 ovno, Sonus

Faber Concertino (original), walnut, excellent

condtion, boxed, £350 ovno, Croft GCI, 45w

Transvalue lnt, brand new, boxed, unwanted gift,

SME M2-10, brand new, boxed, unwanted gift,

Nottingham Analogue Hyperspace, twin-arm

board, excellent condtion £ 1500 ono.

Tel:02894 479053 fEF23501

Impulse H2 for sale, floor standing, horn loaded,

high sensivity speakers 94db (£2250), awesome

dynamics (£690), excellent condition.

Tel: 07875 092215 fF81

Quad IlL, new 2005, rosewood, under

guarantee, boxed £295, Quad 34 pre-amp, grey,

phono late mint £ 195, Quad 66 CD player top

case scratched, full service by Quad £225.

Tel: 01322 528632 after 6pm ( Kent) fF111

Sonus Faber Amati Homage speakers, as new

conditions, £7000, Cayin 500M K tube

integrated amplifier (with Mundorf silver/oil

caps), £ 1900, Quad II + 22, £900 (price

includes shipping from Italy). Email to:

[email protected] fFH171

Naim NAC252, NAP 300, mint condition with

original packaging, £7500. Tel: Pascal 0032

42210050 ( Belguim) Email:

[email protected] EFH171

Naim NAT-01 tuner, v.g.c. boxed, instructions

etc, £800. Tel: Roger on 01565 632796

(Cheshire) or mobile 0777 3514085 [FH17]

Chord CDM2600 integrated + remote £2500

(£4140), Isotek Cleanline £ 150 (£295), Rega

RB300 with Michel TecnoWeight £85, Ortofon

MC25FL, low usuage £95 (£250). Call Dave on

020 8641 3911 evenings (Surrey) fFH171

Krell KSL pre-amp, classic Krell pre-amp in super

condition, can be seen working £400 .T

el:01733706175 (Cambs) EFG141

Audiolab 8000P and 8000A amplifiers, black,

boxed, first class condition, bargain at £325 for

the pair. Contact Stuart on 020 8774 5174

EFG141

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www. h ifinews.co. u k Hi-FiNews JUNE 2005 133

The Market

Tom Evans new design Super Triode, Linear A,

pure Class A, 25 watts. Like new warranty, £3195

(£4000), Audio Valve Baulur 70 Class A Triode

monoblocks, truly amazing, like new, black

£2150 (£3195). Tel:07919211332 [FG14]

Dunlavy Audio speakers SC-V1 monsters, cost

24k £7500, HRCC centre £ 1500, SC- 11 £750,

light oak, excellent condition, Jeff Rowland 8Ti

power amp, new batteries, original crates, £6500,

DCS Elgar/Purcell upsampling Dac, original

model, £4000, boxed. Tel: 01243 584728

(Bognor Regis) EFH221

Krell/Wilson system Krell KAS 2 power amplifiers,

Krell HRC pre-amp, phonos inc Krell KP20i

CD player, Wilson Watt Puppy 5.1 speakers,

transparent cables throughout, all mint £ 13500.

Tel: 01252 614251 [ F8]

Naim NAP500 in 500PS £7000 (£ 12000),

Naim NAC552 inc. 552PS £7000 (£ 12000),

Chord Blu CD transport £4000 (£7000), Chord

DAC64 £ 1200 (£2000), Dynaudio Evidence

Temptations £ 1800 (£28000). All 12 months old

boxed in mint condition, private sale, Surrey.

Tel: 07960 933059 [FG18501

Russ Andrews 4 x 3ft Reference Power Cords

Wattgate 320i IEC £70 ea (£ 115), 1 x 10ft

Reference Powercord with Wattgate 320i IEC

£135 (£248). Tel: 01604 410726

(Northampton) EFG141

Van den Hul First Ultimate ( latest version) 0.8m

£130, Wireworld Equinox interconnect 1m RCA,

£120, Audio Note ( Kondo Japan) 2m bi-wire

speaker cable £40, Van den Nul Royal Jade

speaker cable 2m pair (2 pairs available), £45 per

pair , LFD power cord (2 available) £80 each.

Tel: 07791 361620. [FG2150]

Electrocompaniet AW, 120, DM B power

amplifiers, x 2 Dual mono balanced 2 x 120 watts,

latest models, excellent condition, boxes manuals

£1250 each, both £2400, reviews Hi-Fi Choice,

Cardas cross mains lead 1.5m £ 145

Tel: 01234 302769 [ F8]

B & W CD, mint, floorstanding speakers in cherry

finish, excellent condition with manuals (£ 1250)

accept £500 ono. Call Robert on 01234 214169

(Bedford) IFH171

Shanling SCD-T200C, valve or solid state

SACD/CD player, UK Model, 7 months old, mint,

boxed, £ 1349, Bel Canto DAC2, Wadia sound

without Wadia price, 5-year guarantee, mint,

£520, Bristol, Tel: 07979 903989 [FG14]

Hi-Fi News 1989 to 2003, HiFi+ issues 1-31,

Stereophile 1995 to 1998 complete, plus others

to 2004, offers, buyer collects.

Tel: 01422 843863 (W.Yorks) [ F8]

Quad ESL 63 speakers, brown cloth, fine

condition, serviced by Quad, with Quad speaker

cables £750, Nordost SPM Reference speaker

cables, 4 metre pair, offers please.

Tel: 01993 883523 [ F8]

Audio Analogue Bel lini/Donizetti pre/power amp,

original boxes, quality Italian Quad like pair, 70

watts £300/£350 or £600 pair, ThorensTD147

Jublilee, rare beautiful turntable £350, Tannoy

little gold monitor speakers £700, new Lyra

Lydian M cartridge, cost £600, £325, private

sale. Tel: 020 8785 2529 [ F81

Spectral Audio DMC-30s, Refernce pre-amp

(mint) boxed with manual, just over 2 years old

was (£8,500) sell £3499 ovno. Tel: 020 7584

5784 or [email protected] EFH171

Kimber KS3035 Sp cable 2.4m Ig 1 year old, as

new £2,000 ono (£3,100) KS1121 0.5m

balancedl/C £250 (£513) KS1121 0.75m

balanced I/C £300 (£597) both 18 mths old as

new. Contact Pete (Oxford) 01235 763433 [F8]

G.E. 211 USA Army Signals Corp tested few

hours, matched pair £50 cash (£270), 35 Brimar

12AT7, 12AX7 matched/single, two Mullard

ECC81 originals, free.

Tel: Denis 01946 817732 brochures [ F8]

Naim NAC102 pre January 2002 c/w m/coi I

phono board, mint, boxed £600, NADSC

p/supply, 3 months old £ 165, NAD90/1 power

plus NAC62 pre £250, NAD 90/2 power £ 175,

Linn Helix speakers with granite stands,

immaculate £ 175, Rega Planar 3 RB250 K9

£110, Apollo 4 shelf rack £25.

Tel: Paul 01702617274 (Southampton) [F171

KEF Reference 203 speakers, latest spec.

7 months old, cherry finish, 4yr + warranty,

immaculate, reluctant sale, boxes etc (£3000,

accept £2300) Tel: 01782 256087/mobile

07791 048621 [ F81

Decca 4RC, Decca London Blue, Quad Il control,

Leak Sandwich ( 150HM) 2 x Reslo RBI ribbon

mics, offers some/all. Email:

[email protected] [F81

BAT VK-51SE Flagship Valve pre-amp, 7 months

old, pristine, boxed as new, under warranty,

stunning sound and build, additional info at

www.balanced.com £3700 ovno.

Tel: 01638 602319.

Email [email protected] [ FH17]

Eminent Technology 2.5 air bearing straight-line

tracing tonearm, silver wired, latest

manufacturers upgrade, with precision mounting

jig, extra arm want and Wisa pump (total cost

£1550), £690 ono. Tel: 020 8883 5618 [F8]

ATC CA2 pre-amplifier £485, Parasound

HCA1000, 100 watt power amplifier £245,

Meridian 506 CD player £395, Meridian 504

tuner £295. Tel: 01661 871010 [ F8]

Yamaha NS 100M speakers, black ash complete

with stands, cables, Exposure XX integrated amp,

all excellent condtion £500

Tel: 01494 452050 home [ FG141

Ruark Accolade 3 way floor standing speakers,

attractive dark walnut finish, impressive sound

and top quality build, excellent condition, original

boxes and manuals, bargain £895 (£2700 new°

Tel: 07905338232 anytime [ FH17]

Naim NAC 552 (inc. P/S) and Naim NAP 500

(inc. P/S). All in mint condition, wonderful sound,

dealer installed December 2004. Only £ 19,995

the pair (ono) - save £4,200 on the list price!

House move forces sale.

Tel: 01225 445561 (office hours) [ F1-117]

Linn Sondek LP12 + Grace G707 arm + Supex

cartridge. £400. London. Buyer Collects.

Telephone: 07779 663696 [ F81

ProAc Super Tablettes, black with Target stands

£250 ono. Tel: Marc on 0118 9874271 [ F81

Warped vinyl permanently flattened with Air-Tight

record flattener; records cleaned, cables

professionally burnt in using Cable Cooker. CDs

profiled on Audio Desk Sound Improver.

Tel: 01923 826830,

[email protected] [ FH171

Linn Sondeck LP12 with lttok arm, little used in

last 10 years, has Val Haller upgrade £300 ono,

Tel: Marc on 0118 9874271 ( Berkshire) [ F8]

AVI monoblocks and pre-amp £895, AVI Pro Nine

Plus £395, AVI Reference 52000 C/D £360, Avid

ASC speaker cable 3m £300, mint.

Tel: Julian 01455 212362 or 07795 671932

(Midlands) [ FH17]

Avantgarde Solo Active efficient horn speakers,

200WPC amplifier, integrated stands, room

turntable, silver, immaculate (£5700) £ 1900,

brand new LPs from £ 5, second hand LPs £ 1.

Ring for list. Tel: 01453 544050 [ F81

Bat VK6200 4-channel balanced power amp

£3500, BAT VK5i balanced pre-amp £ 1100,

Gryphen Tabu CDP1 £ 1450, McIntosh MA 6500

integrated amp £ 1400, Audio Illusions LI valve

pre-amp, no remote £800.

Tel: 01707 896760 ( Herts) [ F8]

PMC GB1 loudspeakers, mint condition Sept'04,

Cherry finish, fabulous sound but unsuitable for

my room £650 ono.

Tel: Marc on 01189874271 ( Berkshire)1F81

Plinius 8150 amplifier £550 ono, Vincent SV238

Class A amplifier £750, Shanling SCOS200

SACD player £550 ono, Teac Ti, Teac DT1 £400

ono; for further details ring George on 01262

606089/07890 933787 (Bridlington) [FG14]

Krell KPS20i Legendary Reference CD player,

AbsSnds inspected 3/05 £2995 (£ 10,000),

Martin Logan Odyssey Hybrid Electrostatic

floorstanders, mint, astonishing realism £3950

(£6700), Transparent Music ink Reference,

balanced interconnects 1.5m £995 (£3300). Tel:

01590 624333, [email protected] [ FI-117]

Wanted

Rogers, KEF, Spendor or similar, one pair of BBC

LS3/5A speakers. Private buyer.

Tel: 01394 388399 [EG141

Krell FPB 300/200 or Gamut/Sirius D200 power

amplifier, also interconnect and speaker cable

from Transparent, Kimber Select or Cardas.

Tel: 07973 220663 [EG17]

134 JUNE 2005 Hi-FiNews www. h if inews.co.uk

LOUDSPEAKER KITS - DRIVE UNITS - ACCESSORIES.

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assembled crossovers using top quality components. Everything is included to build a superb pair of loudspeakers and Impact Audio also supply finished cabinets for all designs in a range of rea/ wood veneers.

OMUT 12 Ribbon tweeter

State of the art drive units Huge range of accessories

Visaton make some of the

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definitive audio Definitive Audio creates a quality of musical experience that is peerless. Our service is bespoke, our philosophy is unique and our results are celebrated the world over. We use a selection of the most artful and ingenious creations, including the emotionally persuasive and sublimely beautiful KSL Kondo amplifiers and

Living Voice speakers.

Second-hand and part exchanged stock clearance Sale New

Audio Aero Capitole Mk11 CD player. 2003/50 hours Lamm ML2 Monos. Unusual second hand find. 2000 Lamm LP2 Deluxe phono amp. 2004/100 hours Living Voice Avatar OBX-R2. Maple. 10 months old Living Voice Auditorium Il. Cherry. 1 year old Nottingham Analogue Mentor. SME V.

dCS Verdi, Elgar 2, Purcell ( Serviced by DCS) dCS as above but with verona master clock ELP Lazer turntable. 5 hours use only Supratek Cortese pre amp. December 2003/10 hours use Living Voice Avatar. Cherry. 1 year old Goldmund Eidos 18 SACD/CD/DVD Transport EMM Meitner OCC2. 3 months old Acustik Lab Stella Extremus super tweeters. 20 hours use Nagra PLP line/phono pre amp. 100 hours use Reussenzehn V8 amplifier. 2003/10 hours use Sophia Electric 300B SET monos. 2004/50 hours use Viva Linea per amp. 20 hours use Viva 845 30 watt monos. 20 hours use Wyetech Labs Topaz 572 15 watt stereo. 2004/10 hours use

Art Audio Carissa 15 watt 845 SE stereo. 10 hours use Art Audio PX25 5 watt stereo SE. 15 hours use Audio Pax Model 88 monos. 18 months old/30 hours use Acapella Plasma tweeter/Pair. 2 hours use!! Meridian 502/557 pre/power with table top remote. 6 years old Canary 303 monos 300B p/pull. Lovely sound, big and beefy Canary 309 monos 300B parallel p/pull. Lovely, beefy, nearly new Canary 801 line pre amp. In very nice condition Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista integrated. Boxed, spotless. 1 year old

Sugden A21 integrated amp with phono. Modern classic Aloia 2-box line pre amp. Rare, boxed, perfect condition Art Audio PX25 power amp. Flea power ideal for horn users TEAD Micro Groove standard. Moving coil phono stage 0.8mv/lk Eastern Electric mini max. Valve rec. line pre amp. New boxed

Melos 509 balanced input monster valve amp. 10 years old

Art Audio Concerto 6550 Class A power amp. 30 watts. 5 years old Border Patrol P21. Nearly new Border Patrol Control unit line pre amp. Very, very nearly new

Croft Essence OTL. Just serviced by Croft. 4 years old van den Hul Colibri XPM (4mv). New and boxed van den Hul Colibri XCM (.6mv). New and boxed Audio Mecca Mephisto transport Audio Note UK Zero pre/power amp Living Voice Auditorium Mkl. Walnut. 7 years old SME Model 20/A MkI including SME V arm. Spotless old bird

SME Model 10. New. Sealed box. Excess stock Rega RB300. New. Boxed. Excess stock Mark Levinson 383 integrated

£1750 £13500 £2800 £2900 £1000 £2300

£11250 £16000 £2000

£3200 £27000 £5595 £4000 £1700 £4300

£22500 £26500 £8000

£2500 £4000 £1900 £2700 Ring for details £5000 £9500

£1000 £4500 £2750 £2000 £3300 £6500

£4750 £2500 £3000 £5500 £1500

£2000 £7500 £5200 £4000 £6600

£12000

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£1000 £2800

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£1200

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Tel: 0115 973 3222

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Cd playersrdacs AUDIO ANALOGUE MAESTRO rnk 1 CD, boxed..........700 AUDIO RESEARCH DUC 1 20 bit_ ..... „.725 AUDIO SYNTHESIS DAX ultra analoele ..............700 AVI 2000 CD player.... CALIFORNIA AUDIO LABS CI.15 cd Me 550 COUNTERPOINT DA10/DA1 1 barepaUctsc CYRUS CD6 sAver mint boxed 375 CYRUS DAD30 24 bit with_ CYRUS DAD] 8 PSX-11„. • 72 HEART ealke e PlaYer.• Noon .........---.....................''' KRELL KPS25S meo. ,.......... ... .._. . ........... .---250007030 KRELL DTI 0 reference front loading transport..........2500 KRELL KPS2OT cd tran,mrt 2250 KRELL REFERENCE 64 hvo bids ClaC, 19000 neM....3000 LECTOR COPO 6T GREAT NEW VALVE CD PLAYER. . ..., , _____________.825 LECTOR CDP7T AND PSU , Orify 'mace ................. 1960 LINN KARIK race old version,not a KARIK 3 500 LION KARIK TRANSPORT ONLY boxed 400 MERIDIAN ?CO trar000n ....375 MERIDIAN 296 cd . ..350

MUSICAL FIDELITY VIFS 3 box versen _400 NITTY GRITTY RECORD CLEANING MACHINE ex den,. ,.. . 350 NOTTINGHAM ANALOGUE TRACEI48

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ORAC LPHI MKIV WITH IAKV UPGRADES 1200 ORIGIN LIVE SOVEREIGN deck 8 CONQUEROR arm

m••••••••••• biiidiii.Liidk§ài-iikiiii,iiàii...«, 100, ORTOFON SPU SHINDO MODIFIED new sole UK Neat for this fabulously musical cartndge POA but less than a Koetsu red ORTOFON KONTRAPUNKT anew .500 ORTOFON KONTRAPUNKT H, new as above bot smoother so cd 500 ORTOFON KONTRAPUNKT G, new.. ORTOFON T20 ml, 2 mc step up transformer n° -15°

Tuners Cassette Decks, ReePto-Reel, ifectelPhones etc AVI 20001 tuner 300 CYRUS 75T fm tune, silver boxed. . 275 FANFARE Fil tuner, excellent in poor recer areas remote control!..600

MUSICAL FIDELITY F503 tuner . .200 NAKAMICHI DR10 3 head due capstan cassette ..350 74AKAMICHI DRAGON , se rviced ................................800 P GREER CT9la cassette 250 PIONEER CT95 cassette, - boxed 375 ONEER CTF10C0 cassette ••

QUAD FM2/ FIA4 valve stereo... .. 120e240 REGA RADIO . 15° REVOX 877 liAK2 78/ 315 ips 2 TRACK with nab adaptors and 2 reels of tape ..........-.............-_450 REVOX 036 2track very nice Indeed ...' STAX LAMBDA NOVA REFERENCE&SRIATIS, borrad 650

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AURUM CANTUS LEISURE 2SÉ, ribbon tweeters ex aem AVALON AVATAR nee •••••5500 1000 BEAUHORN B2 speakers , vibraplane plinths,

2000 BLACK ORCHID superb stand moue well mt. tweeters ex ..,,,,,,• •••••••••••••670 BOSE 901 mkIV with stands 8 mWed.------a0 new drive units. 500 CARVER AD ribbon hybridi.boxed 2800.. . 1000 CASTLE HARLECHS neat floorstanders • . - .. • tan'960 400

CELESTION'Al speaFers with Stands ...........................450 CHARK) ACADEMY 1,solel walnut, excellent punchy standmounters 1403 775

AUDIO NOTE P4 signature monos with 300b, boxed _2400 AUDIO NOTE K4 606 valves, upgraded caps, based _500 AUDIO RESEARCH VT 50 serer boxed. with new set Svetlana 6550c. ..1600

AUDIO RESEARCH VT130.balanded inbets . 2060

AUDIO RESEARCH RE 600 MOI upgraded to MK2,

AUDIO RESEARCH BL1 balanced line convertor.........A00 AUDIO RESEARCH LS15 boxed .. AUDIO RESEARCH LS13 mkI line pre,

.800 AUDIO RESEARCH LS8 mk2 silver hord .850 AUDIO RESEARCH LSI 900 AUDIO RESEARCH AUDIO RESEARCH SP8, With Phono,.boajd................850 AUDIO RESEARCH SPA upgraded to MK& boned 1100 AUDIO RESEARCH SRA AUDIO RESEARCH , 2904 serviced by audio research .2000 AUDION APOLLOS single ended

2500 , ,, ........................ NAIM cd 3.5 lust sereced by NM .. ••_500 NAIM CDI„ boxed ••!In

200

ORTOFON T30 step up nanslormer.............. _250 ORTOFON MC30 SUPREME boxed.............. ... .. 275

TRIANGLE ANNIVERSARY batterips--u.

ACCUPHASE 200 risen ve old •200 ALCHEMIST GENE SIS rrórUbfoCICss• ... „....... 77:7...600 Alt cAERream_ A iryi Aida.„.2, _maw " """". • •15g0

. --- ..

HARBETH R3 black.L-budr11s315a lookahkes • ••••••• 300 ad edrhon monoblocks, 25 watts pair HEYBROOK OUARTE1S eht oak wrth stands .............250 AUDION STIRLING phono stage, boxed. IMPULSE Ii4, new bass and treble clove units fitted, CADENCE 100watt monoblocks.........................

ROKSAN CASPIAN so ver ol........ 450 SHANLING CDT100 seoandhan'o box— Ser-- :............ -.

ONO with 2100

PINK TRIANGLE LPTglivroth rosga arm

AUDIO ANALOGUE BELLINI mli2 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • DONIZETTI mblocks.............. ..1000 hen 1°11°K1 mIelraFt• 750

CANARY CA601 MK2 , prearmboxed._ ...• ..• ...„_ CANARY CA 303 SE SIGNATURE monobloaka 4 weed WE 300b eves 4000

.. THETA DATA Universal Transport, recently serveed, bond.. ....850 THETA PROGENIE doe boxed. &50

PROMETHEUS turntable, home demo available. see vneirmometheusaudiocom for more details.......20.000 RB300 INCOGNITO rewired. .......... .......250 REVOX B790 turntable. . • 250

AUDIO RESEARCH Is9 pre arre rca and rim 7 silver front boxed. 00

AUDK) SYNTHESIS DESIRE Myer amp , boxed .........700 AU DIO SYNTHESIS DESIRE DECADE

1500

KHARMA CERAMIGÜE 0ailiCheendieria---- . , _ erase 4550 2000 LINN SARAS walnut, with new barn covers ........... 300

CONRAD JOHNSON PV6 pre ii.th abono....................A00 COPLAND 301 valve pramp with phone ........................500 COPLAND CTA401 Integrated Kane ale

THETA PROGEN V ,dac,boxed ......1500 THETA pno base 3a dao balanced outpuls booed ....MO Z•SYSTEMS RD0.1. DIGITAL EO______________1250

ROCKPORT SIRIUS 2.15600 ROKSAN TABRIX ZI arm With ixos cabfing................ 225 — ROKSAN VERSES with psu3 . dsiereognto RE...800 AVI 2000preatr INTE RATED 'me -----...."--------

AVM 160 ml watt monoblocks

550 CR EVELOPMENTS CALYPSO 12 watts me rated am .... 350

L°WTHER K°USTAS eh .'."16a PAr'..........------A°° CROFT 3t114R MICR8 ebei— dieekaddi-.7...1.........275 LOWTHER TPI with priGc 1800 J ce Turntables/arms/cartridges BENZ RUBY UPGRADED TO LP....... .................... 1000 BENZ LP as new. recommended ............................ 1250

wee michre weight . 700 ROKSAN COGNOSCENTI ( Plano black ) SME 309.1050 SHINDO LABS meursalt 1773 I Z towers_ . POA SHINDO LABS modified ORTOFON SPU•A POA

..- , -500 copLAND CS14 lull amp,. ....................800 cymus yen me, psx b.. pi: CYRUS TWO with PSX factory serece, 325 in new factory paCkaging

MONITOR AUDK) SILVER 61 boorstandersboxed.........300

5s0na119o01s10nAe15 booed MONITOR AUDK) SILVER MONITOR AUDIO SILVER a KooiStanders, ideced........500

CROFT APPARITION OIL. boxed.... , EAR 509 monoblocks mkl mst serviced by EAR.........1350

GAMMA GEMINI etnrated amp ..............._..,._..,.............400 CARVER mc stepup with 3 impedance choces .200 CLEARAUDIO SOLUTION,acrylic turntable With ci.,audesod„, „ram arm bow ._ . •• 1250 CLEARAUDIO MASTER REFERENCE n'u-*kixauwL"---------- TOI MASTER ARM 8 INSIDER CARTRIDGE,

.............. ............................. SAURE V15XMR si stock 2i5 new boxed

SME DAMPING KIT for SME IV boxed ...........................75 51.1E °IS boxEl•-•-••_______________________ __ 140 SME 3009 improved, fixed headshell boxed. 1411

.....,..--. — ............325 CYRUS PRE, PSXR 8 eik poweiamp---- . 700 DONOR POA 44000 monebkcks 400 DYNAVECTOR L200_ pre ovith non phono bored ...........850 EXPOSURE 11/12 PRE with mmlinc phono.................400

MONOPULSE 320 ex dam ...........................................450 NAIM INTROS Mack, boxed 780 ...,, . 270 NAIM SBLs , iiiik3 uleraded skives Mae bOxed ...... .. .. -.—.750 NEAT PETITE 8 GRAVITAS subwooters cherry,

GAMMA SPACE REFERENCE Integrated 300b oimp _1250 GAMMA ERA preamp. GRAAF 5050 ye you guessed 50 watt poorer booed

Accurate reference psu cost 190007500 SME extra hesery countenvoght to balance SPU, KRELL KSA 100 ink 2 stereo power eiie...................1209 pROAC MINI-TOWERS. --- . 250 COUNTERPOINT HEAD AMP MC to MM ....................400

. milk % e in bus --""""""---------""""""""-- KRELL KSA100S,boxed ......, .-.......1800 QUAD ESL 57 pai just serviced by One ring." 750 LEAK STEREO 20 tuff,/ serviced 400

CROFT HEAD AMP valve ____________________200 STRAT SPHERE deck,OL dc motor upgrade and 7 air ............- ,..- „

KRELL KSA 200 the lag one endfineitisi serviced-2000 OUAD ESL 57 excellent pair sereced lry_Ou_ad boxed .850 „„,..=,....., • . ............see also vintage section ..daier.iiiiii, CYRUS PHONOSTAGE .300

DECCA LONDON GOLD excellent boxed 200 p• —.F.. SUMIKO BLUEPOINT SPECIAL boxed, excellent ........150

LINN 'CAIRN phono early isre- brilliant versionPO bat a docent a • . heiess 600 REFERENCE SAPA CA ROYAL VInJOS0 LuMLEY. Si /LI nee and vevey ...................700 LUMLEY LV1.5 NE PRE 8 ST70 POWER AMP

DYNAVECTOR DV2OX NEW high or be output 850 SYSTEMDECK IIXE900 with external psu

GARRARD 301 fullyrestored grease beanngliedk....5C0 sysymay g me bipia mijiYiiiiiii(i.---- METAXAS CHARISMA PREAMP, dirbiiiii firWah1525..425 ..700

GARRARD 401 e SME 2000 pknth with SME 303.-8403 GRAHAM SLEE PHONOSTAGES NOW IN STOCK AND AVAILABLE FOR HOME DEMO KOETSU ROSE WOOD by Vdenliul .................800

_____________________________ amo boxed teth lid 300 TECHNICS SPIS in leery plirre,monotllaol/O . •••••• ,,, •••600 rkeAeoiss''irt-ar.riar'âairip"ii,ii:"""""" ... 250

MUSICAL FIDELITY PRE 8 with MA65 class A 675

MUSICAL FIDELITY E200/É300 pre power, boxed........500 MUSICAL FIDELITY A3 integrated ersr ... _ ...._ ....ASO

"""""""""""""""""----"""""--RUARK CL30 chart heed as new.. 1250 RUANO PALADINS """--""" RUARK TAUSMANS 800 _275 MARK CRUSADERS mkt walnut boxed,

remote and boxed_ .2600 1250

SHIRO° LABS la fon e e. monoblocks with western electric 3006 POA

LECTOR PHONOAMP SYSTEM 2 KA box valve rnmec phonostage awesome at..................1250 LINN ARKIV reasonable ere lefl......... . .-___.........350 LINN LPI2black valhalla ORIGIN LIVESKVÉR ARIA. .750 LINN LP12 alrorrese, valhalla, ALPHASON XENON arm._ -550 LINN LPI2 afrenosta, valhalle trampolin.7000 452000 black Ittok LVII. • 730 LYRA PARNASSUS OCT just rateped,

N THORESTD124 mIQ excellent exaraple . . imw In Yer•IF4 7470110 PR* ••••••••••••••••• • •• • .-‘' TOM tvANS microgroove mc 02uV ex dern.. 290 TOWNSEND ELITE ROCK with MERLIN PSU 8 EXCALIBUR ARM, boxed.. TOWNSEND ROCK MK3.with built in pneumatic base. sme arm cut out _____________._500 TRANSCRIPTORS SATURN and SME 3•89 improved arm__

MUSICAL FIDELITY A3cr PRE/POWEH imps .1290 MUSICAL FIDELITY F25 prel FI5 power amp, hybrid valve /moslet 1C0 watta_great looks..........._..,..1500 Ai - USIC FIRST AUDIO PASSIVE MAGNETIC pre (TVC) - evadable for borne demo. probably the

NAIM NAC .5 8 S APS NAP 110 ..... 550 NAIM NAC 72/NAP 140 boxed later style......::......:i:i-,.;.750 NAIM AVI 4 channel surround 'processor.............1700. 403

_250

work nicely m room corners 1500._ . ............500 SNELL J speakers , • stet cabinet damage per._ _275 SPENDOR LS 3(5A walnut *We ... ,,,. 500

TANNOY GOP onenal corner cabinets en' 2,5:. 221A _..., — . AN Dv um- repro cabs wim io monnor g000s dow per t''' TANNOY AUTOGFIAPHS repro cabinets.3000 m

NS1000Ms

SHINDO LABS monbrLson pre amp mm/mc.................P0A SHINDO LABS aurieges line 8 mm preamp.................P0A SHINDO LABS montrachet el34 pp amp ......................P0A SONIC FRONTIERS phonostage, , • adjustable mc loadino etc cost 2500 boxed... .. .... _ 1000

902/ 948 pre power combo chrome 1 TqloGe ' ' " Éroeid' 600 UNISON SIMPLY 4 Inturatecl amp, 600 ....co RESEARCH o co „a., .,,„, 600 um VIVA Solista available, 1 YEAR tftEd """-- ":::Scoo VIVA VERONA XL MONOOLOCKS ex dem.................7000

"LeéRZ#e"rne.,¡_,-bo. het nce . . .950 MANTICORE MAN i RA with rPnoddid ••••••••• 15°°

..a.

reigiaérLnedRit:den;ltOredeta„s "" MICHELL GYRO SE new in stock. decent trade in offered MICHELL TEKNO A arm UK sales only. ••419 MICHELL HYDRAULIC REFERENCE, late version with everted gold blobs, excellent with sweep brush and stylus brush 550 MUSICAL FIDELITY ALP mrrvmc phonostage . 120

TRANSCRIPTORS TRANSCRIBER excellent..............P0A TRANSCRIPTORS reference/ sme arm vgc .................ess TRICHORD PINO mrnimc phono stage ex deer 250 TRICHORD PINO PLUS psu upgrade m„ for PINO e stock new -./.. TRICHORD DIABLO we NEVER CONNECTED ,,„ psu new TRON MC STEP UP • t.k, VOYD THE VOYD with Sel us arm, no lid. . ./00 VPI HW163 RECORD cleaning machine new .475 CJ WALKER deck with sme 3009 arm . .200

NAIR NAC CAP ê 90.................................750 NAIM NAC 62 . 165 NAIM SNAPS (50 PASS ALEPH 3 30 watts class A __WOO PASS ALEPH 5 R P 60 watts class A..........1500 PERRAUX 2001 remote integrated amp . ..1000 QUAD 405.2 early example . .......... 275 QUAD 66 with remote average canditen _....,...._.........375 QUAD 77 integrated amp and 77 CD carbon Aludo, with remote the pair. -.500 SIM AUDIO CELESTE PV14000 integrated amp............600

YAMAHA very no pair .............................

Valve Amps AUDIO INNOVATIONS 2nd Audio MONOBLOCKS BOXED .1100 AUDIO INNOVATIONS 800 ANNIVERSARY power amp saver pcb boards etc boxed 750 AUDIO INNOVATIONS 1000 mkt 50 watt monoblocks „ 850 AUDIO NOTE M. ZERO line preamp AUDIO NOTE M3 line silver front 2 years old, boxed...1700

VTL TINY TRIODES monoblocks bond .......................750 WORLD AUDIO kt88 amp excellent .............................475

Vinta2qe QUAD LEAK STEREO 0 400 LEAK TLIO monobecks.... 500 Tannox IF red pair..2000 TANNOY TAN GOP 15* RED. .7000 TANNOY CHATSWORTH comer 17 sirver pair ...........2000

EMPORIUMNEW AND USED HIFI SPECIALIST Open 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, MAIL ORDER AND EXPORT Email [email protected] Website www.emporlumhifi.com Telephone 01379 870873. Demos by appointment

VINYL STORAGE SOLUTIONS

f59 per cube

£69 per cube

4gi ACRYLIC STORAGE CUBES OR LP'S AND 12".,di

Available in clear or black, both colours are fitted with 4 thick clear feet re added support. Cubes can be stacked on top of each other, each cube will

store approximately 100 LP's. For further info and order forms

call Martin on: 020 8660 5963 or 07711 572136.

01376 521132

Soa at d U 07709 260221 age E-MAIL: [email protected]

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY www.sound-stage.co.uk

Chelmsford, Essex

PRE-OWNED EQUIPMENT AUDIO ANALOGUE PUCCINI SE INTEGRATED PHONO BLACK BOXED AND SUPERB AUDIOLAB 8000P POWER AMP GREY CASE CASTLE HARLECH CHERRY FLOORSTANDERS COUNTERPOINT SA100 POWER AMP VALVE/TRANS HYBRID BLACK BOXED DENON DVD5000 OVO PLAYER BLACK IMMACULATE (NEW £1600) EPOS ES12 LIGHT CHERRY BOXED AND SUPERB EPOS ES 14 BLACK SINGLE WIRE LOVELY CONDITION ETUDE MPIII FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKERS MADE IN BELGIUM SUPERB GARRARD 301/SME 3009/SHURE MM CARTRIDGE ON HARDBOARD MOUNT KEF 103/3 ROSEWOOD WITH KEF KUBE EQUALISER AND INTEGRAL STANDS LFD PA2 POWERSTAGE POWER AMP MARBLE FRONT LOVELY LOOKS AND SOUND LINN SONDEO LP12 NORTON AIR POWER ITMK TROIKA WALNUT SUPERB LINN KAIRN PRE AMP MM/MC PHONO STAGE BOXED AND SUPERB LINN SARA 9 BI-WIRE WALNUT BOXED AND STUNNING WITH STANDS LOEWE ACONDA 32 FLAT WIDESCREEN SILVER + LOEWE GLASS STAND MERIDIAN 606 DAC BLACK/GOLD BOXED AND IMMACULATE MERIDIAN A500 BLACK ASH LOUDSPEAKERS BOXED LOVELY CONDITION MERIDIAN 605 MONO AMPLIFIERS BLACK MICROMEGA STAGE 5 CD PLAYER IMMACULATE NAIM SNAXO 362N IMMACULATE BOXED 2004 MODEL NAIM NAP 250 BLACK FRONT 1985 BOXED VERY NICE CONDITION NAIM NAP 135 x 2 BLACK FRONT 1988 LOVELY CONDITION BOXED NAIM INTRO BLACH ASH BOXED AND SUPERB NAIM NAT 03 TUNER BOXED VERY GOOD CONDITION NAIM CDS WITH CDS POWER SUPPLY TOP LOADER BOXED IMMACULATE PRIMARE D 20 24 BIT CD PLAYER PROCEED AVP AUDIONIDEO PRE AMPLIFIER AC-3, DTS, THX,DPL (NEW £4700) PROCEED MDT MODULAR OVO TRANSPORT NEW £5500) QUAD FM4 FM TUNER GREY CASE DIN SOCKET BOXED SUPERB £279 QUAD 33/303 PRE/POWER AMPS LOVELY CONDITION £249 QUAD 77CD BUS/77 PRE/77 TUNER CARBON BOXED AND IMMACUALATE £995 QUAD 606 MK1 LOVELY CONDITION WITH MANUAL £499 REGA PLANAR 3 BLACK, RB300, ROKSAN CORUS BLACK, REGA MOTOR UPGRADE £279 REGA RADIO R REMOTE READY TUNER BLACK BOXED AND IMMACULATE £229 ROKSAN CASPIAN TUNER BLACK BOXED AND SUPERB £289 ROKSAN L1.5/DS1.5/S1 .5 PRE/POWER SUPPLY/POWER AMP BLACK £2295 ROKSAN XERXES BLACK ASH ARTEMIZ LYRA CLAVIS D.C. VDH MONIED £1495 RUARK TEMPLAR 2 CHERRY FULLY VENEERED LOUDSPEAKERS SUPERB £349 TAG MCLAREN PA10 PRE AMP BLACK MM/MC PHONO STAGE £399 THORENS TO 160 SUPER BLACK/SME 3009 IMPROVED £259 THRESHOLD MODEL FET ONE 8 S/150 STASIS PRE/POWER AMPS SILVER £695 TOTEM MODEL ONE SIGNATURE BLACK BOXED AND MINT MONTHS OLD £1295 WADIA 3200 CD TRANSPORT WITH REMOTE AND INSTRUCTIONS £995

PROFESSIONAL RECORD CLEANING SERVICE-KEITH MONKS MACHINE -

PLEASE RING FOR FURTFIER DETAILS AND PRICES. THREE MONTH WARRANTY ON ALL ITEMS

£399 £449 £549 £595 £499 £299 £349 £895 £599 £399 £649 £1295 £695 £499 £995 £495 £399 £795 £349 £599 £795

£1595 £349 £349

£1695 £595

£1495 £2495

www.sound-stage.co.uk


WE LOVE TO Oxford Audio Consultants are devoted entirely to your listening and viewing pleasure

Since Oxford Audio Consultants were established in 1988, we have built a

reputation as one of the leading specialists

in audio, home cinema, audio-visual and

multimedia installations.

We are constantly striving to find and stock

the best equipment in established and new

technologies ranging from record-decks

and valve amplifiers to digital radio tuners,

internet-connected multi-room systems,

state-of-the-art home cinemas and fully

computerised lighting and 'smart-home'

controls. Our equipment and installations

range from the 'modest' to the 'magnificent'

but no matter what your purchase is, we

provide a wide range of solutions that are

both imaginative and of the highest quality.

Our staff are knowledgeable, frank and

friendly and will assist you with your pur-

chase; they will be able to advise you on

everything from the replacement stylus for

your turntable to the installation of a multi-

room audio and lighting system. We can

demonstrate a wick range of equipment in

one of our three listening rooms, one for

small 'lifestyle' audio and surround sound

systems, one for audio, and one for home

cinema where you will be able to experience

the best projector, plasma and I V based

systems. We have a wide range of décor

and invisible loudspeakers throughout our

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Oxford Audio Consultants provide a full

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Opening Hours:

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Oxford OX1 1JD

Tel: 01865 790879

Fax: 01865 791665

Email: oxford.audio@

btconnect.com

Website:

www.oxfordaudio.co.uk

next month in 111-FiNews

-tee-e

Pure style from Chord -117 We bring you the first full review

of the stunning new CD player from Chord Electronics. We'll also be testirg

affordable but satisfying source components from Jolida and Pro-Ject. Amplifiers on test ranging from the affordable to the Ongaku.

There'll be new loudspeakers from PMC as well as the Arena system from Tannoy. And of course a

selection of spectacular home cinema products, given a full lab, listening and viewing workout in the June issue's

Home Entertainment section. Plus another great hi-fi prize to win in our free-entry competition...

r'

4.0„.

Don't miss Hi-Fi News July issue, on sale Friday, 3 June


Opinion

If I've a fiver in my pocket and someone

has snake oil for £4.95 and I'm feeling frivolous, I may have a go. Free is better,

like tips about speaker positioning

Ken Kessler R

egular readers know that I've grown increasingly hostile toward certain tweaks over the past decade, especially

cables. I credit earlier flirtations with Cloudcuckooland insanity to my own naiveté or suggestibility. Consider me, circa the 21st Century, chided and skeptical, but no less

enthusiastic. My own deeply held belief is that you can't polish

a turd. Thus, an audio system will never be better than the

quality of the core components - sources, amplification and

speakers - and they're far more important than the accessories, whatever the vendor of the latter tries to prove to you. Ergo, a sublime amp and so-so wire will always deliver

better sound than a so-so amp and sublime wire. Ditto for tables, spikes and anything else marketed as an upgrade.

Screw black magic: any performance worth upgrading to has to

be there in the first place. There are two exceptions. The first tweak category I tolerate

consists of ones that cost next to nothing. So, if I've a fiver in my pocket and someone has

some snake oil for £4.95 and

I'm feeling frivolous, I may have

a go. Free is better, like tips about speaker positioning. But

any tweak also has to fit into a

second category: said tweak must be removable/reversible. I wouldn't dream of performing irremediable surgery on my

Thorens TD124's chassis, but I might change the mat.

This, however, concerns physical changes, performed in

a dimension we may arbitrarily

agree that we all inhabit. Such

tweaks ( or accessories, if you prefer) account for everything

from cables to tables. What about tweaks that exist in the land

between Gormenghast and psychosis? Are the effects of

Harmonix, Belt and Shun Mook and all of the other

metaphysical stuff reversible?

CHEAP AS CHIPS The real point is this, and it explains why Harmonix et al cause

no more trouble than financial loss if they fail to do anything perceptible: any failure to make an audible change doesn't matter at all if the gadget was removable and didn't involve

wrecking your equipment. So, if you try these things and don't hear changes, then peeling off foils and stickers will have caused no harm to your system. Where enchanted fairy-tale tweaks fail the KK Try-ability Test is that they often cost too

effin' much. If Harmonix or Shun Mook discs cost £ 1 apiece, I'd say go on, knock yourself out. But they don't.

Which is why I'm writing about Golden Sound's Intelligent

Chip (GSIC). It's so cheap that they could give them away. Like US$16 retail for the 10-disc upgrade. That's £8.89, or less 1

than the cost of a chart CD or a decent Chianti. Here's what it

is, and how you use it, and what it does. And you ruin nothing... unless you don't like its effect. Whicl-i is said by its

makers to be permanent. The GSIC is said to correct 'a particular problem inherent in

all commercial CD/DVD/SACD discs,' what we know as jitter. It looks like an SD memory card from a digital camera, minus

exposed contacts. Featureless save for a foil label, it's a thin, orange lx1.5in rectangular wafer that ' automatically upgrades

the disc in the player when... placed momentarily on top of

the player above the spinning disc.'

That's it. You put the GSIC label-side-up over the transport,

press play, leave it for two seconds. Voila! A treated CD, DVD or SACD. The upgrade is permanent, with the 'sound and picture of the upgraded disc more closely resembling the original master recording... resulting in sound that is

clearer/less distorted, with a deeper soundstage, more "air" and lower background noise.'

Golden Sound sells two models: the $ 16 GSIC10 upgrades 10 discs; for $40 (£21), the GSIC30 upgrades 30 discs. According to Golden Sound, and this raised an eyebrow or

twelve, GSIC ' recognises' when an upgraded disc is placed in

the player, so you don't waste a charge. Once you've upgraded

the 10 or 30 discs, it ceases to function.

GOLDEN SOUNDS? I ran it past nine visitors, including the Editor, all experienced

listeners. First I played one treated and one untreated copy of the same disc, and asked if they even heard a difference. Then,

they choose a disc - any disc - to be tweaked. One visitor

brought along his own disc; upon his return home, he played it

against another copy and e-mailed me immediately with his

response. He was staggered. Out of nine visitors, seven preferred the tweaked disc and

all heard differences. The repeatability was among the best I've ever noted, in what was admittedly a loosely-controlled

experiment. They spoke of better control in the pass sector, more precise imaging, a richer sound, more detail. Once I'd used up all 10 tweakings I busted open the GSIC. Inside was

a piece of PCB with a microdot chip of some sort on it. That's

it. I've been scratching my head ever since.

Golden Sound, tel 0017703-847-2617; [email protected]

138 JUNE 2005 HI-FiNews

-e— •

www.hifinews.co.uk

our new spring collection

The evolution begins now...

Introducing the next generation in Ayre technology. The evolution series is a collection of

design achievements that further advances Ayres position at the forefront of audio and

video design. Every Ayre component has been upgraded to offer a new level of sonic

performance and reveal all of the musical nuances you were meant to experience.

No 326S Stereo Preamplifier

The new Mark Levinson No 326S features audio circuits, controls and optional phono modules,

based on the award winning Mark Levinson No 32 Reference Preamplifier. The No 326S features

Arlon circuit boards, together with discrete volume attenuators. Following the Mark Levinson tradition the No 3265 exceeds all your expectations and creates a new standard for stereo preamplifiers.

CS2.4 Loudspeakers

The CS2.4 is the result of Thiel's more than 25 years of extensive experience in designing high performance loudspeakers. Since 1977, Thiel's history of innovative engineering has led to significant sonic improvements in each

new model, resulting in speakers with the most outstanding performance in their class.

Ayre Acoustics, Cello, Esoteric,

Grand Prix Audio, Lyra, Mark Levinson, Stax,

Stereovox, Sumiko, System Audio & Thiel

o symmetry t: 01727 865488

e: [email protected]

w: www.symmetry-systems.co.uk

"We're talking about a future classic"

"More than any other CD player, the CD3 is the machine that renews my enthusiasm, wrapping me up completely in the musical event"

A 1,1 ""'""*4

"Sets a new standard of quality"

vACLIMA TIALE PCIWER AMPLIFIER

audio research

•

HI-FICHIIICE HOICE AWARD

AUDIO RESEARCH LS25 MKII/VT100 MKIII PRE/POWER AMPLIFIER

If you yearn for that intangible 'something' that many modern amps miss, then you must hear the VS110"

•

Audio Research apply the technology gained from their Reference 2 preamplifier and Reference 600 series amplifiers to every model in their range, right down to the entry-level designs. The SP16 preamplifier, VS55 and VS110 power amplifiers and the

new VSi55 integrated amplifier are not only packed with knowledge gained from the company's legendary flagship models, but herald a change in the way reasonably priced high end is perceived. Joining these classics are the state-of-the-art CD3 CD player and150M multi-channel amplifier. For details of the full range and your nearest dealer, contact Absolute Sounds.

Audio Research: not a cautious choice, but a considered one.

absolute sounds ltd 58 Durham Road, London SW20 OTVV

T: +44 (0)20 89 71 39 09 F: +44 (0)20 88 79 79 62 www.absolutesounds.com [email protected]

Two-channel ISS! Classic kit MIOME ENTERTAINMENT

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